EASVRES 


GRACE  M.  EVERETT 


FROM   THE  LIBRARY  OF 
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CINCINNATI :   JENNINGS  AND  GRAHAM 
NEW  YORK  :    EATON  AND  MAINS 


COPYRIGHT,    1905,    BY 
JENNINGS   AND   GRAHAM 


INTRODUCTION. 

Hymnology  is  like  a  gold-field.  It  may  ap- 
pear barren  and  uninviting  to  the  casual  observer, 
but  it  contains  untold  wealth  for  the  earnest 
seeker. 

There  are  treasures  in  hymns — no  one  doubts 
it.  To  try  to  prove  it,  therefore,  would  be  a 
thankless  task.  Some  hymns  have  been  sung  so 
often  and  have  blessed  so  many  hearts  that  their 
value  is  recognized  by  every  one.  But  others 
may  be  called  "hid  treasure,"  for  they  are  un- 
known and  unappreciated,  save  by  the  few.  The 
multitudes  are  ignorant  of  their  number,  their 
variety,  and  their  worth. 

Their  number  is  legion.  This  does  not  mean 
that  every  hymn  is  a  treasure.  There  are 
worthless  hymns  as  truly  as  there  are  worth- 
less gems.  Yet  a  careful  examination  of  any 
standard  hymnal  will  reveal  a  surprisingly  large 
number  of  really  great  hymns,  besides  a  multi- 
tude of  useful  lyrics  which  could  ill  be  spared. 
When  it  is  remembered  that  no  one  book  con- 
tains all  the  valuable  hymns,  some  conception  of 
their  number  can  be  gained. 


6  Sfntrn&urtuitu 

Concerning  their  variety  it  may  be  said  that 
there  are  three  classes  of  hymn  treasures ;  namely, 
historical,  literary,  and  devotional.  All  hymns 
worthy  the  name  belong  to  one  of  these  classes, 
some  to  more  than  one,  and  a  few  to  all  three. 

Great  hymns  "are  born,  and  not  made.,,  They, 
therefore,  reflect  the  character  of  the  age,  and 
reveal  the  inner  life  of  the  person,  that  produced 
them.  Through  their  agency  we  become  ac- 
quainted with  such  makers  of  history  as  Gregory 
the  Great,  St.  Bernard,  Luther,  and  Wesley. 

The  particular  conditions  under  which  they 
were  written  give  added  meaning  to  many  hymns. 

"Stand  up,  stand  up  for  Jesus !" 

was  inspired  by  the  dying  words  of  Dudley 
Tyng:  "Tell  them  to  stand  up  for  Jesus."  He 
had  been  conducting  a  great  revival  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  and  these  words  were  a  message 
to-  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
the  Ministers'  Union.  The  hymn  was  read  the 
next  Sunday  after  his  death  at  the  close  of  a  ser- 
mon on  the  same  subject. 

Hymns  have  often  been  sung  under  the  most 
impressive  circumstances.  Think  of  an  army 
singing,  as  it  marched  to  battle : 

"In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death \" 

The  following  story  is  told  of  E.  P.  Scott,  a 
missionary  in  India.     He  went  inland  to  visit  a 


hostile  tribe,  and  on  his  way  was  met  by  a  com- 
pany of  savages,  who  displayed  their  spears.  Al- 
though he  expected  instant  death  the  missionary 
calmly  took  out  his  violin,  closed  his  eyes,  and 
began  to  sing : 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name !" 

A  few  minutes  later  he  opened  his  eyes  to  find 
that  his  assailants  had  dropped  their  weapons 
and  were  in  tears. 

The  literary  treasures  are  comparatively  few. 
The  requirements  of  a  good  hymn  are  quite  dis- 
tinct from  those  of  a  literary  poem.  There  are 
hymns,  however,  which  take  high  rank  both  as 
hymns  and  poems.  This  is  eminently  true  of 
Dr.  Sears's  Christmas  hymns : 

"It  came  upon  the  midnight  clear;" 
and 

"Calm  on  the  listening  ear  of  night." 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  said  of  the  latter  that  it 
was  "one  of  the  finest  and  most  beautiful  hymns 
ever  written. "  Dr.  Nutter  says  of  the  hymn  by 
Thomas  Olivers, 

"The  God  of  Abrah'm  praise," 

"It  is  probably  the  finest  ode  in  the  English  lan- 
guage."   James  Montgomerv's  hymn  beginning, 


8  Sntrnfcurtum. 

"Angels,  from  the  realms  of  glory," 

has  also  been  much  admired.  An  authority 
speaks  of  it  thus:  "For  comprehensiveness,  ap- 
propriateness of  expression,  force,  and  elevation 
of  sentiment,  it  may  challenge  comparison  with 
any  hymn  that  was  ever  written  in  any  language 
or  country." 

After  a  performance  of  the  oratorio  "Mes- 
siah" before  George  II,  of  England,  the  king 
thanked  the  composer  for  the  entertainment. 
Handel  replied,  "Sire,  I  have  not  endeavored  to 
entertain  you,  but  to  make  you  better." 

The  chief  object  of  a  hymn  is  to  lift  the  soul 
nearer  to  God,  and  to  aid  it  in  its  worship.  It 
should  first  inspire,  and  then  give  expression  to 
adoration  and  praise.  Many  hymns  do  this.  Who 
does  not  get  a  clearer  vision  of  the  "One  alto- 
gether lovely"  while  singing — 

"Majestic  sweetness  sits  enthroned 

Upon  the  Savior's  brow; 
His  head  with  radiant  glories  crowned, 
His  lips  with  grace  o'erflow." 

Every  one  has  felt  the  uplifting  influence  of  the 
doxology.    The  hymn, 

"O  Thou,  in  whose  presence  my  soul  takes  delight," 

is  a  devotional  treasure  which  has  been  too  little 
appreciated. 


Very  many  nymns  are  prayers,  and  voice  the 
longings  and  aspirations  of  the  soul.  "Love 
divine,  all  love  excelling,"  and  "Nearer,  my  God, 
to  Thee  1"  are  marked  examples  of  this  class. 

Hymns  give  expression  to  the  deepest  feel- 
ings of  the  human  heart,  and  that  is- the  reason  for 
their  helpfulness.  "The  poet  does  not  give  vent 
to  his  own  frame  of  mind,  his  individual  feel- 
ings, but  the  Church  itself,  through  his  lips,  con- 
fesses, believes,  comforts,  praises,  and  adores. " 

The  sacred  character  of  hymns  and  their  hal- 
lowed associations  entitle  them  to  reverent  use. 
They  should  not  be  sung  thoughtlessly  or  insin- 
cerely. It  was  a  precept  of  the  early  Church: 
"See  that  what  thou  singest  with  thy  lip,  thou 
believest  also  in  thine  heart;  and  what  thou  be- 
lievest  in  thine  heart,  thou  practicest  also  in  thy 
life/' 

The  worth  of  a  hymn  must  be  determined  by 
two  things ;  first,  the  extent  of  its  influence  over 
the  human  mind,  and  second,  its  power  to  sur- 
vive. 

The  influence  of  song  has  been  recognized  in 
all  ages.  Five  hundred  years  before  Christ, 
the  Chinese  philosopher  Confucius  remarked, 
"Would'st  thou  know  if  a  people  be  well  gov- 
erned, if  their  manners  be  good  or  bad,  examine 
the  music  they  practice." 

Early  in  the  Christian  era,  when  the  Church 


io  Sttfniimrium. 

divided  over  the  subject  of  the  nature  of  Christ's 
divinity,  each  faction  used  hymns  to  spread  its 
peculiar  doctrines. 

Luther  and  Wesley  both  appreciated  the  value 
of  hymns  in  promoting  the  cause  of  spiritual  re- 
ligion, and  to-day  evangelists  avail  themselves  of 
the  aid  of  a  consecrated  singer. 

Concerning  their  longevity  it  may  be  said  that 
great  hymns  are  immortal.  The  Church  of  to- 
day is  singing  hymns  which  were  written  by  the 
Fathers,  and  which  will  probably  be  sung  to  the 
end  of  time. 

To  bring  to  light  some  of  these  hidden  treas- 
ures of  hymnody  and  to  show  their  worth  is  the 
purpose  of  this  book.  The  author  hopes  that  its 
perusal  may  lead  to  a  more  general  and  more  in- 
telligent use  of  the  best  hymns.  She  would  pass 
on  the  advice  which  Schlipalius,  a  Dresden  pas- 
tor, gave  to  his  family:  "Children,  accustom 
yourselves  to  God's  praise,  for  that  will  be  our 
chief  occupation  throughout  eternity;  but  we 
must  begin  here." 


(EotttfttiH. 


Chapter  Page 

I.  Ancient  Hymns  of  the  Church,      -  -        13 

II.  Hymns  of  the  Reformation,       -       -  35 

III.  Watts,  Doddridge,  and  Newton,     -  -        48 

IV.  Charges  Wesley, 66 

V.   Titled  Hymn-writers,  82 

VI.  Hymns  from  Literature,      -  97 

VII.  Women  Hymn-writers,      -        -        -  118 

VIII.  Other  Hymns  of  Interest,          -       -  136 

IX.   Some  Noted  Translators  and  Transla- 
tions,        157 

X.  A  Few  Words  About  Tunes,  169 


11 


CHAPTER  I. 
Attrtent  %mna  nf  %  Ollfurrlj* 

The  earliest  Christian  hymns  are  found  in 
the  New  Testament.  St.  Luke  records  four  in 
the  opening  chapters  of  his  Gospel.  The  first, 
the  Magnificat,  was  sung  by  Mary  when  she 
reached  the  home  of  Elizabeth.  Not  long  after 
Zacharias  gave  utterance  to  the  Benedictus.  The 
third  was  the  angels'  song,  and  the  last  was  the 
prayer  and  prophecy  of  Simeon  when  he  saw  the 
world's  Redeemer.  These  hymns  which  clus- 
tered about  the  birth  of  Christ  were  prophetic  of 
the  character  of  his  religion.  Christianity  has 
always  been  a  religion  of  song.  There  has 
scarcely  been  a  century  in  all  its  history  which 
has  not  produced  some  lyric  in  honor  of  its 
Founder. 

The  earliest  uninspired  hymn  which  has  come 
down  to  us  entire  is  "Shepherd  of  tender  youth/' 
Clement  of  Alexandria  recorded  it  in  his  "Pseda- 
gogue."  Some  think,  therefore,  that  he  was  the 
author;  others  claim,  however,  that  he  quoted 
a  hymn  already  in  existence.  Whichever  theory 
13 


14  iSjgmtt  SrataureB. 

is  correct,  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  hymn  was 
written  before  the  close  of  the  second  century. 
At  that  time  Rome  was  still  mistress  of  the 
world,  although  her  power  was  beginning  to  de- 
cline. Christianity  had  been  faithfully  preached 
throughout  the  empire,  and  the  whole  number  of 
converts  was  about  two  million.  The  older  re- 
ligions were  hostile  to  the  new  faith,  and  tried  by 
every  means  to  prevent  its  growth.  Contempt 
and  slander  were  their  usual  weapons,  but  not  in- 
frequently they  resorted  to  open  and  violent  per- 
secution. "Daily/'  wrote  Clement,  "martyrs  are 
burned,  beheaded,  crucified  before  our  eyes." 
Such  was  the  condition  of  the  world  and  the 
Church  when  this  hymn  was  written.  It  is  a  fair 
sample  of  all  the  early  Christian  hymns.  Some 
one  has  said  of  all  of  them,  "They  were  simply 
a  glorification  of  Jesus  Christ."  That  is  cer- 
tainly true  of  this  one,  for  it  says : 

"Ever  be  Thou  our  guide, 
Our  shepherd  and  our  pride, 

Our  staff  and  song: 
Jesus,  Thou  Christ  of  God, 
By  Thy  perennial  word 
Lead  us  where  Thou  hast  trod, 

Make  our  faith  strong." 

Although  hymns  were  sung  by  Christians 
from  the  earliest  times,  they  did  not  form  a  regu- 
lar part  of  the  Church  service  until  the  third  cen- 


Anront  ijgmna  nf  tip  QUjurrli.  15 

tury  in  the  East,  and  the  latter  part  of  the  fourth 
century  in  the  West.  At  the  latter  time  there 
appeared  in  France  a  man  who  did  much  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  Church  music. 

His  name  was  Ambrose.  His  father  had  been 
a  Roman  governor;  and  he  himself  was  a  pre- 
fect, noted  for  wisdom  and  eloquence.  One 
day  in  the  church  at  Milan  there  occurred  a  riot 
over  the  election  of  bishop.  Ambrose  went 
into  the  pulpit  to  restore  order.  A  child  saw 
him  and  exclaimed,  "Ambrose  is  bishop!"  The 
multitude  received  the  cry  as  a  voice  from  heaven 
and  shouted,  "Ambrose  is  bishop !"  In  vain  he 
protested,  reminding  them  that  he  was,  as  yet, 
unbaptized.  The  congregation  were  deaf  to  his 
protests,  and  unanimously  elected  him  their 
bishop. 

Although  chosen  in  so  strange  a  manner, 
Ambrose  proved  an  able  prelate.  He  was  bold 
and  stern,  yet  just  and  kind.  The  following 
story  illustrates  the  impartiality  of  his  adminis- 
tration : 

During  a  riot  the  Thessalonians  had  killed 
their  governor.  In  revenge  for  their  lawlessness 
the  Emperor  Theodosius  had  them  treacherously 
murdered  while  attending  a  circus.  Ambrose 
was  horrified  at  the  atrocity  of  the  deed.  He 
wrote  a  letter  to  Theodosius,  reproving  him  and 
forbidding  him  to  come  to  the  sacrament.    The 


l6  ijjjttttt  (SttUBUttZ. 

emperor  disregarded  the  warning,  and  came  the 
next  Sunday.  Ambrose  met  him  at  the  threshold 
of  the  church,  and  exclaimed : 

"How  darest  thou  lift  to  God  the  hands  that 
drip  with  blood  ?  How  take  in  them  the  body  of 
our  Lord?  Get  thee  away!  Like  David  thou 
hast  sinned,  like  David  repent.  Submit  to  dis- 
cipline/' 

The  emperor  was  forced  to  submit.  He  re- 
turned home  and  did  penance  for  eight  months. 
He  was  readmitted  to  the  communion  only  after 
he  had  established  a  law,  "that  no  sentence  of 
death  should  be  executed  until  thirty  days  after 
it  had  been  pronounced.'' 

This  act  of  discipline  was  in  accord  with  the 
bishop's  maxim,  "The  emperor  is  in  the  Church, 
not  over  it."  Yet  Ambrose  showed  such  a  spirit 
that  Theodosius  afterward  said  of  him  that  he 
was  the  only  man  he  knew  who  was  fit  to  be 
bishop.  That  Ambrose  was  fit  may  be  judged 
from  the  following  lines  taken  from  a  translation 
of  his  morning  hymn : 

"Curb  Thou  for  us  the  unruly  tongue ; 
Teach  us  the  way  of  peace  to  prize ; 
And  close  our  eyes  against  the  throng 
Of  earth's  absorbing  vanities. 

O  may  our  hearts  be  pure  within, 
No  cherished  madness  vex  the  soul; 

May  abstinence  the  flesh  restrain, 
And  its  rebellious  pride  control." 


Anrfenl  ^gmmi  nf  %  SHjurdj,  17 

If  all  the  bishops  of  later  times  had  offered  such 
a  prayer,  the  history  of  the  Middle  Ages  would 
be  quite  different. 

Ambrose  wrote  many  other  hymns,  some  of 
which  are  still  extant.  The  one  beginning, 
"Jesu  Redemptor  Gentium"  was  greatly  admired 
by  Martin  Luther.  When  he  read  it  he  ex- 
claimed, "Now  comes  the  Savior  of  the  heathen." 

This  bishop  also  introduced  into  the  West 
the  mode  of  singing  hymns  which  became  known 
as  the  Ambrosian  Chant.  It  was  antiphonal  in 
character.  St.  Augustine  thus  described  its  effect 
upon  the  hearer:  "The  voices  poured  in  at  my 
ears,  the  truth  was  distilled  into  my  heart,  and 
the  affection  of  piety  overflowed  in  tears  of  joy." 

Two  centuries  later  came  Gregory  the  Great. 
His  life  and  work,  which  in  some  respects  were 
similar  to  those  of  Ambrose,  will  be  described  in 
a  later  chapter. 

When  Jerome  of  Prague  was  led  to  the  stake 
he  sang  triumphantly : 

"Welcome,  happy  morning !    Age  to  age  shall  say ; 
Hell  to-day  is  vanquished,  heaven  is  won  to-day  l" 

This  hymn,  which  strengthened  the  martyr  in 
his  last  moments,  was  written  by  Venantius  For- 
tunatus  in  the  seventh  century.  In  his  youth  he 
was  a  gay  troubadour.  His  gifts,  learning,  and 
good  nature  made  him  a  welcome  guest  at  all  the 


1 8  Sfgrntt  l£tmzxvct&. 

castles  and  courts  in  France.  In  later  life  he 
entered  a  monastery,  and  devoted  his  powers  to 
the  service  of  religion.  In  599  he  became  Bishop 
of  Poictiers.  Change  of  garb  and  occupation  did 
not  change  his  disposition.  He  was  the  same 
light-hearted,  care-free  man  that  he  had  been 
before  his  conversion. 

His  hymns  have  been  extensively  used  and 
greatly  admired  by  the  Church.  The  one  quoted 
above  reflects  the  spirit  of  the  author  in  its  glad 
strains.    The  second  stanza, — 

"Earth  with  joy  confesses,  clothing  her  for  spring, 
All  good  gifts  returned  with  her  returning  King : 
Bloom  in  every  meadow,  leaves  on  every  bough, 
Speak  His  sorrows  ended,  hail  His  triumph  now," — 

could  hardly  have  been  written  by  one  who  saw 
no  beauty  in  the  world. 

He  wrote  also  two  famous  passion  hymns; 
namely,  "Spread,  my  tongue,  the  wondrous 
story,"  and  "The  royal  banner  is  unfurled."  The 
former  is  only  suitable  for  use  in  the  Romish 
Church,  but  translations  of  the  latter  are  found 
in  Protestant  Hymnals.  While  they  do  not  have 
the  strength  of  some  hymns,  they  are  in  a  sweet, 
flowing  meter  that  is  pleasant  to  the  ear. 

During  the  seventh  century  the  Church  faced 
a  new  danger  in  the  rising  power  of  Mohammed- 


Attrtatt  Ijgmttfi  of  tip  Olljurrlf.  19 

anism.  It  robbed  her  of  Syria,  Palestine,  Egypt, 
Spain,  Northern  Africa,  and  threatened  to  take 
Europe  also.  At  some  time  during  this  anxious 
period,  Andrew  of  Crete  sought  to  arouse  his 
fellow  Christians  to  action  by  writing  the  stir- 
ring hymn : 

"Christian,  dost  thou  see  them 

On  the  holy  ground, 
How  the  troops  of  Midian 

Prowl  and  prowl  around  ? 
Christian,  up  and  smite  them, 

Counting  gain  but  loss : 
Smite  them  by  the  virtue 

Of  the  holy  cross." 

On  a  cliff,  five  hundred  feet  above  the  River 
Kedron  in  Judea,  stands  the  ancient  monastery 
of  Mara  Saba.  Here,  in  the  eighth  century, 
lived  three  monks,  all  destined  to  become  famous. 
One  was  John  of  Damascus,  the  greatest  theolo- 
gian and  poet  of  the  Greek  Church.  His  book, 
"Doctrines  of  the  Orthodox  Church/'  is  still  con- 
sidered an  authority  in  the  East.  He  is  better 
known,  however,  by  his  Easter  Canon.  It  has 
been  called  the  "Golden  Canon/'  and  the  "Queen 
of  Canons."  The  Greek  Church  sings  it  every 
Easter  morning,  and  the  Protestant  Church  often 
uses  the  translation  by  Dr.  Neale : 

"The  day  of  resurrection ! 
Earth,  tell  it  out  abroad ! 
The  passover  of  gladness, 
The  passover  of  God ! 


20  iijymtt  (Jmtsmm 

From  death  to  life  eternal, 

From  earth  unto  the  sky, 
Our  Christ  hath  brought  us  over, 

With  hymns  of  victory.,, 

St.  Comas,  John's  foster-brother,  wrote  a 
Christmas  hymn,  beginning : 

"Christ  is  born,  tell  forth  His  fame ; 
Christ  from  heaven,  His  love  proclaim." 

The  other  member  of  the  trio  was  Stephen, 
John's  nephew.  He  entered  the  monastery  when 
only  ten  years  old,  and  remained  there  sixty 
years.  Although  not  so  great  as  his  uncle,  he 
wrote  a  lyric  which  has  blessed  many  hearts. 
Prom  the  country  where  the  original  invitation 
was  given  comes  the  hymn : 

"Art  thou  weary?  art  thou  languid? 
Art  thou  sore  distressed? 
Come  to  Me,  said  One,  and  coming, 
Be  at  rest." 

Each  succeeding  stanza  contains  a  question 
and  answer  concerning  the  Savior  and  His 
claims.  The  hymn  closes  with  the  comforting 
lines : 

"Finding,  following,  keeping,  struggling, 
Is  He  sure  to  bless? 
Saints,  apostles,  prophets,  martyrs, 
Answer,  Yes!" 


Anrtettt  iSjgmnfi  of  tlf*  ©Ijurrfj.  21 

The  most  prolific  of  all  Greek  writers  was 
Joseph  the  hymnographer.  He  is  said  to  have 
written  one  thousand  canons.  Two  hundred  are 
still  in  existence. 

Although  a  monk,  his  life  was  far  from 
monotonous.  He  was  born  in  Sicily,  but  left  that 
island  for  Africa,  and  later  went  to  Greece.  At 
Thessalonica  he  entered  a  monastery,  and  be- 
came distinguished  for  his  devotion.  He  was  in 
Constantinople  at  the  beginning  of  the  icono- 
clastic war.  The  cause  of  the  image-worshipers 
received  his  hearty  support,  and  in  their  behalf 
he  embarked  for  Rome.  The  ship  was  captured 
by  pirates,  and  he  was  taken  to  Crete,  where  he 
served  many  years  as  a  slave.  At  length  regain- 
ing his  freedom  he  returned  to  Constantinople, 
where  he  founded  a  monastery.  Crowds  flocked 
thither  attracted  by  his  eloquence,  and  it  became 
a  flourishing  community.  But  Joseph's  ardent 
defense  of  image-worship  excited  the  emperor's 
displeasure,  and  he  was  banished  to  Chersonse. 
Ignatius  secured  his  recall  by  the  Empress  Theo- 
dora. She  made  him  keeper  of  the  sacred  vessels 
in  the  great  church  at  Constantinople.  Later, 
however,  he  accompanied  his  friend  and  patron, 
Pholitius,  into  exile.    His  death  occurred  in  883. 

Judging  from  his  hymns,  these  misfortunes 
and  hardships  did  not  embitter  his  spirit.     Dr. 


22  Sjyum  afoaautm 

Neale  gives  us  the  following  translation  of  one 
of  his  hymns : 

"O  happy  band  of  pilgrims, 

If  onward  ye  will  tread, 
With  Jesus  as  your  Fellow, 

To  Jesus  as  your  Head ! 
O  happy,  if  ye  labor 

As  Jesus  did  for  men; 
O  happy,  if  ye  hunger 

As  Jesus  hungered  then ! 
The  trials  that  beset  you, 

The  sorrows  ye  endure, 
The  manifold  temptations 

That  death  alone  can  cure, — 

What  are  they  but  His  jewels 

Of  right  celestial  worth? 
What  are  they  but  the  ladder, 

Set  up  to  heaven  on  earth? 
O  happy  band  of  pilgrims, 

Look  upward  to  the  skies, 
Where  such  a  light  affliction 

Shall  wan  so  great  a  prize." 

To  the  same  period  as  these  writers  belonged 
Theodulph,  Bishop  of  Orleans.  He  was  one  of 
the  scholars  who  adorned  Charlemagne's  court. 
The  following  story  is  told  of  his  hymn  for  Palm 
Sunday :  After  the  death  of  his  great  patron, 
the  bishop  was  falsely  accused  of  entering  into  a 
conspiracy  against  King  Louis,  and  was  impris- 
oned in  the  monastery  of  Angers.     One  day,  as 


Anwnt  ISjgmns  nf  tip  Qltjurrlj,  23 

the  king  passed  the  building  on  his  way  to  the 
cathedral,  he  heard  singing.  Seven  boys  who 
had  been  trained  by  Theodulph  were  chanting: 

"All  glory,  laud,  and  honor, 
To  Thee,  Redeemer,  King." 

His  majesty  was  so  pleased  with  the  song  that  he 
immediately  gave  Theodulph  his  freedom. 

One  of  the  great  hymns  of  the  Church  is 
"Veni  Sacer  Spiritus."  There  is  much  uncer- 
tainty as  to  its  authorship,  but  many  critics 
ascribe  it  to  Robert  II,  of  France.  This  king  was 
more  of  a  monk  than  a  ruler.  It  was  one  of  his 
chief  delights  to  assist  in  the  services  of  the 
Church.  He  was  chorister  at  the  cathedral  of 
St.  Denis,  and  used  to  lead  the  singing  in  his 
crown  and  robes.  Although  his  worship  may 
have  been  somewhat  formal,  this  hymn  is  one  of 
the  loveliest  in  the  Latin  tongue : 

"Come,  Holy  Ghost,  in  love, 
Shed  on  us  from  above 
Thine  own  bright  ray \" 

Few  characters  in  Church  history  are  more  in- 
teresting than  St.  Bernard  of  Clairvaux,  wTho 
flourished  in  the  eleventh  century.  He  belonged 
to  a  noble  French  family.  His  mother  was  a 
woman  of  rare  ability  and  character,  and  her  son 


24  5jgmtt  SrauaarwL 

inherited  many  of  her  virtues.  Physically  he 
was  far  from  rugged.  He  had  a  slight,  stooping 
figure,  and  pale,  hollow  cheeks.  His  hair  was 
thin  and  white.  Contrary  to  the  custom  of  the 
times,  he  wore  a  beard,  which  was  tinged  with 
red.  But  writers  speak  of  his  "angelic  counte- 
nance/' his  "dovelike  eyes,"  and  his  "benevolent 
smile."  If,  like  Paul,  he  was  frail  in  body,  like 
Paul  he  was  mighty  in  spirit. 

He  was  a  Cistercian  monk  of  the  severest 
type.  In  early  manhood  he  injured  himself  by 
his  extreme  penances  and  self-inflicted  tortures. 
In  later  life  he  rejected  the  doctrine  of  penances 
and  discouraged  their  practice.  His  ability  and 
piety  were  so  marked  that  at  the  early  age  of 
thirty  he  was  sent  out  to  found  a  new  monastery. 
The  site  selected  was  a  valley  called  "Worm- 
wood" because  it  had  formerly  been  the  haunt  of 
a  band  of  robbers.  Bernard  rechristened  it 
"Clairvaux,"  or  "Beautiful  Valley."  This  was 
the  first  of  a  hundred  and  sixty  monasteries 
founded  by  St.  Bernard.  So  zealously  did  he 
labor  for  their  welfare,  and  so  greatly  did  they 
prosper  through  his  efforts,  that  they  were  called 
after  him,  "Bernardines." 

But  he  was  much  more  than  a  monk ;  he  was  a 
missionary.  One  of  his  first  acts  upon  entering 
the  monastic  life  was  to  persuade  his  brothers  and 
sister  to  do  the  same. 


Anmnt  Sjgmnfl  nf  tlj*  GH|urrli.  25 

He  lived  during  the  days  of  the  Crusades. 
During  his  childhood  the  first  Crusade  had  gone 
to  the  Holy  Land,  and  founded  the  kingdom  of 
Jerusalem.  After  an  existence  of  several  dec- 
ades it  was  in  danger  of  being  conquered  by  the 
infidels.  Bernard  traveled  all  through  Europe 
urging  the  princes  and  bishops  to  undertake  a 
new  crusade  which  would  save  the  holy  places 
from  profanation. 

The  art  of  preaching  had  declined,  but  Ber- 
nard revived  it.  His  appeals  were  so  earnest  and 
eloquent  that  they  won  every  one  to  his  cause. 
After  hearing  his  sermons,  profligate  nobles  and 
worldly  ladies  would  tear  strips  from  his  robe 
and  sew  them  to  their  own  garments  in  the  form 
of  a  cross.  The  people  came  to  look  upon  him 
with  a  reverence  almost  amounting  to  awe.  They 
Called  him  the  "holiest  monk  that  ever  lived"  and 
the  "last  of  the  Fathers/'  It  is  said  that  Guilliame, 
Abbot  of  St.  Thierry,  admired  him  so  much  that, 
could  he  have  chosen  his  lot  from  all  the  world 
had  to  offer,  he  would  have  chosen  nothing  else 
than  to  remain  always  with  that  man  of  God,  as 
his  servitor.  Hilbert,  Bishop  of  Treves,  actually 
traveled  to  Rome  to  ask  the  pope  to  relieve  him  of 
his  charge,  that  he  might  spend  the  rest  of  his 
days  at  Clairvaux  with  St.  Bernard.  Bernard's 
own  monks  called  him  father,  and  he  regarded 
them  as  his  .children. 


26  ijgmn  SrotHttrw. 

He  steadily  refused  all  offers  of  preferment. 
He  was  content  to  remain  an  abbot ;  but  it  was  an 
abbot  with  the  powers  of  a  pope.  Step  by  step 
he  had  risen  to  the  place  of  superiority.  Princes 
sought  his  advice,  and  popes  asked  his  support 
in  a  time  of  conflict.  He  dictated  to  kings  and 
reproved  bishops.  He  took  a  leading  part  in 
all  the  controversies  of  his  day.  "No  private 
Churchman  ever  held  a  greater  personal  influ- 
ence over  an  age." 

He  held  his  power,  however,  without  fawn- 
ing on  officials ;  he  was  not  the  slave  of  the 
Church.  He  rejected  many  of  her  erroneous 
doctrines,  and  reproved  her  pernicious  practices. 
In  his  eyes  the  images  and  emblems  were  no  or- 
naments to  the  churches.  "They  divert  the 
minds  of  the  hearers/'  he  said.  He  condemned 
the  luxurious  lives  of  many  of  the  primates  of 
the  Church,  and  the  corruption  which  had  crept 
into  the  ecclesiastical  government.  He  did  not 
revere  Rome  nor  regard  it  as  a  sacred  city. 

He  was  as  holy  as  he  was  great.  Luther  said 
of  him,  "If  ever  there  was  a  pious  monk  who 
feared  God  it  was  St.  Bernard,  whom  alone  I 
hold  in  much  higher  esteem  than  all  the  other 
monks  throughout  the  globe."  He  had  power 
and  honor,  and  could  have  had  wealth  and  office 
if  he  had  wished  them,  but  he  realized  that  none 
of  these  things  could  satisfy.    He  wrote : 


Attrtott  Jfymtta  of  llj?  QHjurrfi.  27 

"Jesus,  Thou  Joy  of  loving  hearts ! 

Thou  Fount  of  life !  Thou  Light  of  men ! 
From  the  best  bliss  which  earth  imparts, 
We  turn  unfilled  to  Thee  again." 

It  is  said  that  "there  is  no  essential  doctrine 
of  the  Gospel  that  he  did  not  embrace  with  zeal, 
defend  by  argument,  and  adorn  by  life."  In  his 
creed  faith  was  joined  with  love  and  holy  living. 
The*  long  hours  of  worship  and  meditation  were 
no  hardship.    He  wrote : 

"We  taste  Thee,  O  Thou  Living  Bread, 

And  long  to  feast  upon  Thee  still ; 
We  drink  of  Thee,  the  Fountain  Head, 
And  thirst  our  souls  from  Thee  to  fill !" 

Love  for  Christ  seems  to  have  been  a  passion 
with  him,  for  in  another  hymn  are  these  words : 

"Jesus,  the  very  thought  of  Thee 

With  sweetness  fills  the  breast; 
But  sweeter  far  Thy  face  to  see, 
And  in  Thy  presence  rest. 

No  voice  can  sing,  no  heart  can  frame, 

Nor  can  the  memory  find 
A  sweeter  sound  than  Jesus'  name, 

The  Savior  %i  mankind." 

And  again : 

"  'T  is  Thee  I  love,  for  Thee  alone 
I  shed  my  tears  and  make  my  moan ; 


28  Sjgum  QtoaassmL 

Where'er  I  am,  where'er  I  move, 
I  meet  the  Obj  ect  of  my  love. 

Insatiate  to  this  Spring  I  fly ; 

I  drink,  and  yet  am  ever  dry : 

Ah!  who  against  Thy  charms  is  proof? 

Ah !  who  that  loves,  can  love  enough  ?" 

It  would  seem  impossible  for  such  love  ever 
to  grow  cold,  yet  Bernard  prayed : 

"O  make  me  thine  forever; 

And  should  I  fainting  be, 
Lord,  let  me  never,  never 
Outlive  my  love  to  Thee !" 

His  prayer  was  answered.  He  died  exhorting 
his  companions  to  abound  in  good  works.  His 
last  words  were,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  "I  am  in 
a  strait  betwixt  two;  having  a  desire  to  be  with 
Christ,  which  is  far  better,  nevertheless  the  love 
of  my  children  urgeth  me  to  remain  below." 

But  not  all  the  people  were  as  pure  and  de- 
voted as  St.  Bernard.  Those  were  dark  days  for 
the  Church.  In  that  very  century  the  sale  of  in* 
dulgences  became  common.  The  indulgence  was 
a  written  statement  to  the  effect  that  if  the  buyer 
repented  of  his  sins  and  did  penance  he  would  be 
forgiven  and  would  be  exempt  from  punishment 
in  this  life  and  the  life  to  come.  Frequently  the 
buyer  was  not  the  only  one  that  received  the  bene- 


Attront  SjgtmtH  nf  ttj*  OUjurrlj,  29 

fits  of  the  forgiveness.  His  family,  and  even  his 
descendants  shared  the  forgiveness.  Although 
repentance  was  always  stated  as  a  condition,  it 
was  seldom  heeded.  The  corruption  and  moral 
degradation  which  resulted  from  this  practice 
can  hardly  be  imagined.  It  even  became  possi- 
ble for  a  man  who  was  plotting  evil  to  buy  an  in- 
dulgence, and  then  commit  the  crime.  Other 
great  evils  crept  in,  among  them  simony,  or  the 
selling  of  Church  offices  to  the  highest  bidder. 
In  short,  spiritual  wickedness  was  enthroned  in 
high  places.  The  Vatican  itself  was  no  exception. 
Under  such  conditions  was  it  any  wonder 
that  another  monk,  Bernard  of  Cluny,  wrote? — 

"The  world  is  very  evil, 

The  times  are  waxing  late; 
Be  sober  and  keep  vigil, 

The  Judge  is  at  the  gate ; 
The  Judge  that  comes  in  mercy, 

The  Judge  that  comes  with  might, 
To  terminate  the  evil, 

To  diadem  the  right." 

Or  that  his  thoughts  should  turn  toward  heaven, 
and  that  he  should  express  his  feelings  thus? — 

"For  thee,  O  dear,  dear  country 
Mine  eyes  their  vigils  keep  ; 
For  very  love,  beholding 
Thy  happy  name,  they  weep. 


3°  ifamn  Stroma. 

The  mention  of  thy  glory 

Is  unction  to  the  breast, 
And  medicine  in  sickness, 

And  love,  and  life,  and  rest." 

He  goes  on  describing  the  beauties  of  heaven, 
and  at  length  exclaims : 

"Jerusalem  the  golden, 

With  milk  and  honey  blest, 
Beneath  thy  contemplation 

Sink  heart  and  voice  oppressed; 
I  know  not,  O  I  know  not, 

What  social  joys  are  there; 
What  radiancy  of  glory, 

What  light  beyond  compare." 

To  a  man  whose  only  home  was  a  small  cell 
scantily  provided  with  the  rudest  furniture; 
whose  only  occupation  was  a  constant  round  of 
ritualistic  services  relieved  by  a  few  hours  of 
manual  labor;  whose  only  society  was  that  of 
the  other  brethren  of  his  monastery, — to  such  a 
man  the  "social  joys"  of  heaven  must  have  been 
a  delightful  prospect.  The  fact  that  "Jerusalem 
the  golden"  is  in  all  the  leading  Church  Hymnals 
is  proof  that  its  sentiment  still  appeals  to  the 
human  heart. 

These  hymns  are  taken  from  a  Latin  poem  of 
three  thousand  lines.  The  meter  is  so  difficult 
that  the  author  claimed  that  he  had  the  special  in- 
spiration of  God  while  writing  it. 


Attrmtt  llfijmnfi  of  tlj*  GUfttrrij.  31 

We  have  in  our  books  to-day  a  song  which 
the  Crusaders  sang  on  their  way  to  the  Holy 
Land.  Here  is  the  translation  of  the  first  stanza. 
It  is  beautiful  in  its  simplicity : 

"Fairest  Lord  Jesus 

Ruler  of  all  nature, 
O  Thou  of  God  and  man  the  Son! 

Thee  will  I  cherish, 

Thee  will  I  honor, 
Thee  my  soul's  glory,  joy  and  crown." 

Marching  through  the  forests  and  fields  of 
Europe,  the  army  must  have  appreciated  the 
imagery  of  the  second  stanza : 

Fair  are  the  woodlands, 

Fair  are  the  meadows, 
Clothed  in  the  blooming  garb  of  spring; 

Jesus  is  fairer, 

Jesus  is  purer, 
Who  makes  the  woeful  heart  to  sing." 

To  the  thirteenth  century  belongs  the  Dies 
Irae,  "the  sublimest  Latin  hymn  of  the  Church/' 

All  during  the  Middle  Ages  Christ's  second 
:coming  was  expected  at  any  time.  In  the  year 
iooo  the  belief  that  His  advent  would  be  soon 
was  so  general  that  men  sold  their  property  and 
gave  up  their  business.  This  being  the  case,  it 
was  no  wonder  that  the  monks  dwelt  upon  it  in 


32  ifgmn  erasures. 

their  meditations,  and  made  it  the  subject  of 
some  of  their  hymns.  This  one  calls  the  Judg- 
ment the  "Day  of  Wrath,"  and  pictures  the  ter- 
ror with  which  the  day  will  be  attended  for  the 
wicked : 

"What  the  fear,  what  the  quaking, 
When  the  Judge  His  way  is  taking. 
Strictest  search  in  all  things  making !" 

A  translator,  Dr.  Coles,  says,  "Every  line 
weeps.  Under  every  word  and  syllable  a  living 
heart  throbs  and  pulsates."  A  large  part  of  the 
poem  is  a  plea  for  mercy  in  view  of  that  day : 

"Vengeance,  Lord,  be  then  Thy  mission ; 
Now  of  sin  grant  free  remission 
Ere  that  day  of  inquisition  IV 

Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  could  not  read  the  hymn 
without  bursting  into  tears.  Hardened  sinners 
have  been  deeply  affected  by  it.  "Indeed  it 
stands  alone  in  its  power  over  the  mind."  There 
is  another  Latin  hymn  on  the  Judgment  which 
calls  it  a  day  of  light,  and  describes  the  joys  of 
the  righeous.    It  begins : 

"Lo,  the  day,  the  day  of  life, 
Day  of  unimagined  light" 

There  are  several  hymns  which  are  so  an- 
cient that  their  origin  and  authorship  are  lost. 


Atttfott  ^gurns  of  tlj*  GUfurrff.  33 

Among  these  is  the  "Te  Deum  Laudamus.,, 
Some  one  has  beautifully  said,  "The  Te  Deum  is 
the  shrine  round  which  the  Church  has  sung  her 
joys  for  centuries."  The  ritual  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  requires  that  it  be  used  in  the 
three  supreme  acts  of  solemn  worship, — the  con- 
secration of  a  bishop,  the  coronation  of  a  king, 
and  the  consecration  of  a  virgin.  Three-fourths 
of  the  words  are  Scripture,  which  gives  it  more 
the  form  of  an  anthem  than  of  a  hymn  for  con- 
gregational singing. 

The  "Gloria  in  Excelsis"  is  the  most  ancient 
doxology  of  the  Church.  It  may  have  been  the 
angels'  song  originally,  to  which  the  prayer  was 
added.  In  this  form  it  has  been  used  for  ages — 
perhaps  since  the  first  century.  The  English  poet 
Bede  tells  us  that  it  has  been  used  by  the  Oriental, 
Latin,  and  Anglican  Churches,  and  that  it  was  in- 
troduced into  the  Latin  Church  as  early  as  the 
reign  of  Hadrian.  It  is  now  used  in  nearly  all 
the  Churches  in  the  communion  service. 

Another  hymn  deserves  mention,  and  that  is 
the  "Veni  Creator  Spiritus."  Who  wrote  it  no 
one  knows.  Some  authorities  claim  that  it  is  the 
work  of  Gregory  the  Great;  others  favor  Char- 
lemagne as  the  author.  Whoever  wrote  it,  all 
agree  that  it  is  a  great  hymn.  It  was  the  earliest 
Pentecostal  hymn  of  the  Church,  and  as  such 
marks  the  beginning  of  her  worship  of  the  Holy 
3 


34  Sjgmtt  (SxtmtxrttL 

Spirit  as  God,  after  a  long  contest.  "But  that 
battle  had  rolled  away ;  not  even  its  most  distant 
echoes  are  heard  in  the  hymn;  and  the  'Veni 
Creator  Spiritus'  is  not  a  battle-song,  not  even 
one  of  victory,  but  of  praise  and  triumph  in  the 
enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  victory." 

A  striking  characteristic  of  the  earliest  hymns 
of  the  Church  is  that  they  are  songs  of  Christ. 
To  their  writers  Christ  seems  to  have  been  a  liv- 
ing person,  whom  they  knew  and  loved,  in  whose 
companionship  they  delighted,  and  whose  face 
they  could  almost  see. 


CHAPTER  II. 
Sfjjtttttn  tit  t\p  SttfarmatuitL 

The:  fate  of  Protestantism  was  hanging  in 
the  balance.  Charles  V  had  come  to  the  throne 
with  the  avowed  purpose  of  rooting  out  the 
heresy.  Before  his  coronation  he  sent  forth  a 
letter  summoning  the  States  of  Germany  to  a 
Diet  at  Augsburg.  The  language  of  this  letter 
was  very  conciliatory,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  fol- 
lowing extract : 

"Let  us  put  an  end  to  all  discord.  Let  us  re- 
nounce our  antipathies.  Let  us  offer  to  our 
Savior  the  sacrifice  of  all  our  errors.  Let  us 
make  it  our  business  to  comprehend  and  weigh 
with  meekness  the  opinions  of  others.  Let  us  an- 
nihilate all  that  has  been  said  on  both  sides  con- 
trary to  right,  and  let  us  seek  after  Christian 
truth." 

The  Protestants  were  not  deceived,  however ; 

they  knew  that,  little  by  little,  they  would  be 

forced  to  surrender  their  faith.    To  prevent  this 

and  to  strengthen  their  position,  the  four  great 

35 


36  Ijgmn  QrmmttB. 

Protestant  theologians,  Luther,  Melanchthon, 
Jonas,  and  Pomeranus,  prepared  what  is  known 
in  history  as  the  Confession  of  Augsburg.  It  is 
a  document  stating  what  the  Protestants  believed 
to  be  the  essential  doctrines  of  faith. 

The  authors  of  the  Confession  asked  permis- 
sion to  present  it  to  Charles  in  person.  But  John, 
the  Elector  of  Saxony,  at  whose  request  it  was 
prepared,  replied : 

"God  forbid!  I  also  desire  to  confess  my 
Lord." 

Accordingly,  he  himself  started  a  few  days 
later  for  Augsburg.  No  one  could  tell  what  the 
result  would  be;  but  all  realized  the  dangers  he 
would  encounter.  His  friends  felt  very  anxious, 
and  general  prayers  were  offered  for  his  safety. 
In  this  time  of  suspense,  Martin  Luther  wrote  his 
great  hymn  which  is  a  free  version  of  the  forty- 
sixth  psalm : 

"A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God, 

A  bulwark  never  failing: 
Our  Helper  He,  amid  the  flood 

Of  mortal  ills  prevailing. 
Did  we  in  our  own  strength  confide, 

Our  striving  would  be  losing; 
Were  not  the  right  man  at  our  side, 

The  man  of  God's  own  choosing. 
Dost  ask  who  that  may  be? 

Christ  Jesus,  it  is  He; 


Jfymttfi  of  tl|£  Sfofnrmattatu  37 

Lord   Sabaoth  is  His  name, 
From  age  to  age  the  same, 
And  He  must  win  the  battle." 

The  hymn  became  popular  immediately.  It 
was  sung  in  Augsburg  before  the  diet  closed.  All 
the  Churches  in  Saxony  used  it  in  their  services. 
It  comforted  and  inspired  many  hearts.  Even 
Luther  himself,  when  especially  perplexed,  would 
say  to  his  friend  Melanchthon,  "Come,  Philip, 
let  us  sing  the  forty-sixth  Psalm."  After 
Luther's  death,  Melanchthon  and  some  friends 
went  to  Weimar.  One  day  they  heard  a  little  girl 
singing  this  hymn.  Melanchthon,  addressing  the 
[child,  said :  "Ye  know  not  what  great  hearts  ye 
are  comforting."  The  hymn  has  been  called  the 
"Marseillaise  of  the  Reformation."  Frederick 
the  Great  said,  "It  is  God  Almighty's  Grenadier 
March." 

Luther  wrote  several  other  hymns.  One  was 
written  in  commemoration  of  the  death  of  the 
first  martyrs  of  the  Reformation.  These  were 
Henry  Voes  and  John  Esch,  young  Augustinian 
monks.  They  declared  their  belief  that  the  priest 
had  no  power  to  forgive  sins ;  that  it  belonged  to 
God  alone.  When  asked  to  recant,  they  replied 
boldly,  "We  withdraw  nothing;  we  would  rather 
die  for  the  faith." 

They  were  soon  given  the  opportunity.  With- 


38  $f$mn  Gtr*amtr*£. 

cut  wavering,  they  prayed,  repeated  the  Apos- 
tles' Creed,  and,  as  the  flames  rose  around  them, 
sang  the  "Te  Deum  Laudamus."  This  is  what 
Luther  says : 

"The  Father  hath  received 

Their  latest  living  breath; 
And  vain  is  Satan's  boast 

Of  victory  in  their  death : 
Still,  still,  though  dead,  they  speak, 

And,  trumpet-tongued,  proclaim 
To  many  a  wakening  land 

The  one  availing  Name/' 

Luther's  Cradle  hymn  beginning : 

"Away  in  the  manger, 
No  crib  for  his  bed," 

was  written  for  his  son  Hans.  It  shows  that  the 
intrepid  Reformer  had  a  child's  heart  in  his 
breast. 

But  Luther  did  more  than  write  a  few  hymns. 
He  "gave  the  German  people  their  hymn-book  as 
well  as  their  Bible."  Speaking  of  music,  he  said, 
"I  want  this  beautiful  ornament  to  serve  God  and 
His  Christian  people."  To  this  end  he  not  only 
wrote  hymns  himself,  but  asked  others  to  com- 
pose them.    He  wrote  to  his  friend  Spalatin : 

"It  is  my  intention,  after  the  example  of  the 
fathers,  to  make  psalms  for  the  German  people ; 


iijgmtta  nf  ilf*  SUfnrmatUm.  39 

that  is,  spiritual  songs,  whereby  the  Word  of 
God  may  be  kept  alive  among  them  by  singing. 
We  seek,  therefore,  everywhere  for  poets.  Now, 
as  you  are  a  master  of  the  German  tongue,  and 
are  so  mighty  and  eloquent  therein,  I  entreat  you, 
join  hands  with  us  in  this  work,  and  turn  one 
of  the  psalms  into  a  hymn  according  to  the  pat- 
tern (f.  c,  an  attempt  of  my  own)  which  I  send 
you.  But  I  desire  all  new-fangled  words  from 
the  court  to  be  left  out ;  that  all  words  should  be 
quite  plain  and  common,  such  as  common  people 
may  understand ;  yet  pure  and  skillfully  handled. 
And  next,  that  the  meaning  should  be  given 
Clearly  and  graciously,  according  to  the  sense  of 
the  psalm  itself." 

For  music,  Luther  introduced  the  folk-songs 
into  the  Church  service,  and  substituted  them 
for  the  Gregorian  chants.  This  change  enabled 
the  congregation  to  join  in  the  singing.  He  also 
formed  a  chorus  of  singers  which  met  every  week 
at  his  house. 

The  result  was  that  sacred  music  was  no 
longer  confined  to  the  Church  choir  on  Sunday 
and  Saints'  days.  Hymns  were  now  sung  in  the 
home,  in  the  field,  in  the  workshop,  and  on  the 
battlefield.  A  Romanist  impatiently  declared, 
"The  whole  people  is  singing  itself  into  the 
Lutheran  doctrine."     He  was  right     The  sing- 


40  ^tjmn  (SxmBKXtB. 

ing  of  hymns  was  a  very  important  means  by 
which  the  Reform  doctrines  were  spread. 

In  1597  a  fearful  pestilence  swept  over  the 
province  of  Westphalia,  in  Germany.  In  a  short 
time  fourteen  hundred  people  died.  Philip 
Nicolai,  who  wTas  a  pastor  in  Urma  at  the  time, 
saw  the  funeral  processions  pass  his  window.  He 
turned  away  and  read  St.  Augustine's  "City  of 
God."  Inspired  by  the  reading  he  wrote  the 
hymn  beginning : 

"Awake,  awake,  the  night  is  flying." 

One  of  the  immediate  results  of  the  Reforma- 
tion was  the  Thirty  Years'  War,  which  lasted 
from  1618  to  1648. 

On  the  morning  of  November  6,  1632,  when 
the  Protestant  forces  were  ready  for  battle,  the 
leader,  Gustavus  Adolphus,  King  of  Sweden, 
knelt  before  the  line  and  prayed : 

"O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  bless  our  arms  and 
this  day's  battle  for  the  glory  of  Thy  holy  name." 

When  he  had  finished,  the  soldiers  sang  "Ein 
feste  Burg,"  and,  as  they  took  up  their  march : 

"Fear  not,  O  little  flock,  the  foe 
Who  madly  seeks  your  overthrow; 

Dread  not  his  rage  and  power; 
What  though  your  courage  sometimes  faints  ? 
This  seeming  triumph  o'er  God's  saints 

Lasts  but  a  little  hour. 


Fear  not,  be  strong !    Your  cause  belongs 
To  Him  who  can  avenge  your  wrongs; 

Leave  all  to  Him,  your  Lord : 
Though  hidden  yet  from  mortal  eyes, 
Salvation  shall  for  you  arise; 

He  girdeth  on  His  sword !" 

The  conflict  was  severe,  and  Gustavus  fell 
mortally  wounded.  His  last  words  were :  "I  seal 
with  my  blood  the  liberty  and  religion  of  the 
German  nation.  My  God,  my  God, — alas!  my 
poor  queen. "  "Protestant  Germany  was  saved 
not  by  her  armies  or  her  princes,  but  by  the  heart 
of  that  one  hero  given  of  God."  Although  dis- 
mayed at  his  death,  his  army  was  victorious. 

This  is  the  story  of  the  hymn.  Many  think 
that  Gustavus  wrote  it  himself  after  his  victory  at 
Leipsic,  and  that  his  chaplain,  Dr.  Jacob  Fabri- 
cius,  put  it  in  perfect  metrical  form.  Whether  it 
is  his  composition  or  not,  it  is  called  the  "Battle 
Hymn  of  Gustavus  Adolphus."  It  is  always  sung 
at  the  meetings  of  the  Gustavus  Adolphus  Asso- 
ciation. This  is  a  society  for  the  promotion  of 
Protestantism. 

"Now  thank  we  all  our  God/'  was  written 
near  the  close  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  The 
author,  Martin  Rinkart,  was  the  pastor  in  a  small 
town.  His  sufferings  during  the  war  were  almost 
indescribable.  Soldiers  were  quartered  in  his 
house,  and  his  goods  were  plundered.    A  terrible 


42  Sjgmtt  Stoaaurw. 

pestilence  visited  the  town,  and  in  one  year  eight 
thousand  people  died.  Rinkart  buried  four  thou- 
sand himself. 

Famine  followed  the  pestilence.  Rinkart's 
house  was  surrounded  with  beggars,  and  he  gave 
away  all  that  he  had,  saving  only  the  scantiest 
provision  for  his  own  family.  He  had  to  mort- 
gage his  income  for  several  years  in  advance  in 
order  to  clothe  them. 

At  length,  when  the  Swedes  imposed  a  tax  of 
three  thousand  florins  on  the  province,  Rinkart 
interceded  personally  with  the  general,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  it  reduced  to  two  thousand 
florins.  No  wonder  that,  when  at  length  there 
was  a  prospect  of  peace,  Rinkart  wrote : 

"Now  thank  we  all  our  God, 

With  heart,  and  hands,  and  voices, 
Who  wondrous  things  hath  done, 

In  whom  His  earth  rejoices; 
Who  from  our  mother's  arms 

Hath  blessed  us  on  our  way 
With  countless  gifts  of  love, 

And  still  is  ours  to-day." 

It  has  been  called  the  German  Te  Deum,  and 
takes  rank  only  second  to  Luther's  hymn.  Fred- 
erick the  Great's  army  sang  it  after  the  battle  of 
Leuthen,  and  constantly  during  the  Franco- 
Prussian  War. 


JSjgmna  of  tlf*  Krfimnatuitu  43 

Two  other  men,  although  they  belong  to  a  lit- 
tle later  period,  may  be  mentioned  in  this  chapter. 
They  are  Paul  Gerhardt,  of  Germany,  and  Rich- 
ard Baxter,  of  England. 

The  former  has  been  called  "the  sweet  singer 
of  Germany/'  Although  he  did  not  have  the 
struggles  of  Luther,  yet  his  life  was  filled  with 
trials  and  disappointments.  He  did  not  receive 
Holy  Orders  until  late  in  life.  In  1664,  King 
William  IV  issued  an  edict  requiring  the  min- 
isters of  the  Lutheran  and  the  Reformed 
Churches  to  abstain  from  attacking  each  other 
in  the  pulpit.  All  the  beneficed  ministers  were 
expected  to  sign  it.  Gerhardt  refused,  and  in 
consequence  lost  his  parish.  For  some  time  he 
was  without  work  or  prospect  of  work.  During 
this  time  he  probably  wrote  his  "Hymn  of 
Trust :" 

"Commit  thou  all  thy  griefs 

And  ways  into  His  hands, 
To  His  sure  trust  and  tender  care 

Who  earth  and  heaven  commands, 
Thou  on  the  Lord  rely, 

So,  safe,  shalt  thou  go  on ; 
Fix  on  His  work  thy  steadfast  eye, 

So  shall  thy  work  be  done." 

The  ground  of  his  confidence  is  disclosed  in 
the  following  lines  taken  from  another  of  his 
hymns, 


44  ijgmn  tBvtnmtt*. 

"Here  I  can  firmly  rest; 

I  dare  to  boast  of  this, 
That  God,  the  highest  and  the  best, 
My  Friend  and  Father  is. 

Naught  have  I  of  my  own, 

Naught  in  the  life  I  lead; 
What  Christ  hath  given,  that  alone 

I  dare  in  faith  to  plead. 
At  cost  of  all  I  have 

At  cost  of  life  and  limb. 
I  cling  to  God  who  yet  shall  save ; 

I  will  not  turn  from  Him." 

Miss  Winkworth,  speaking  of  Gerhardt  in 
her  book,  "Christian  Singers  of  Germany,"  says : 

"His  hymns  seem  to  be  the  spontaneous  out- 
pouring of  a  heart  that  overflows  with  love,  trust, 
and  praise."  The  following  lines  are  such  an 
outpouring : 

"Jesus,  Thy  boundless  love  to  me 

No  thought  can  reach,  no  tongue  declare; 
O  knit  my  thankful  heart  to  Thee, 
And  reign  without  a  rival  there : 
Thine  wholly,  Thine  alone,  I  am ; 
Be  Thou  alone  my  constant  flame. 

O  grant  that  nothing  in  my  soul 
May  dwell,  but  Thy  pure  love  alone: 

O  may  Thy  love  possess  me  whole, 
My  joy,  my  treasure,  and  my  crown: 

Strange  flames  far  from  my  heart  remove; 

My  every  act,  word,  thought,  be  love." 


%mtus  of  %  ffitffarmatfcttL  45 

His  confidence  was  rewarded.  The  Elector  of 
Saxony  invited  him  to  become  the  Archdeacon  of 
Liibben  in  Saxony.  He  accepted  the  position  and 
there  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  "His  ser- 
mons were  full  of  charity  and  tenderness,  and 
his  conduct  consistent  and  above  reproach." 

Richard  Baxter's  life  covers  nearly  the  sev- 
enteenth century.  During  the  English  Revolu- 
tion he  favored  the  king's  cause.  But  although 
a  Tory  in  politics  he  was  a  Puritan  in  character. 
He  was  a  bitter  opponent  of  absolute  power  and 
oppression.  He  was  a  Nonconformist  clergyman 
of  the  English  Church.  His  views  made  him 
many  enemies,  both  in  Church  and  State.  He 
was  accused  of  heresy,  and  arrested  a  number  of 
times.  At  length,  when  he  was  seventy  years 
old,  he  was  brought  before  the  infamous  Judge 
Jeffreys  on  the  charge  of  sedition  and  hostility  to 
the  episcopacy.  He  was  fined  five  hundred 
marks.  As  he  could  not  pay,  he  was  imprisoned 
for  eighteen  months,  and  then  pardoned.  He 
was  the  author  of  "The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest," 
which  has  long  been  a  classic  among  devotional 
books.  He  also  wrote  the  following  hymn  of 
personal  consecration  for  himself: 

"Lord,  it  belongs  not  to  my  care 
Whether  I  die  or  live ; 
To  love  and  serve  Thee  is  my  share, 
And  this  Thy  grace  must  give. 


46  8jgmn  Ett&BtxttB. 

My  knowledge  of  that  life  is  small; 

The  eye  of  faith  is  dim : 
But  't  is  enough  that  Christ  knows  all, 

And  I  shall  be  with  Him." 


There  was  reform  within  the  Romish  Church 
as  well  as  without.  Not  all  the  saints  were  Prot- 
estants. At  the  very  time  that  Luther  was  thun- 
dering against  the  abuses  of  the  Church,  a  devout 
Roman  Catholic  was  having  great  success  as  a 
missionary  in  India  and  Japan.  His  name  was 
Francis  Xavier.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Order  of  Jesuits.  Although  this  society  is 
infamous  in  history  for  its  persecutions,  and  is 
in  disfavor  at  the  present  time  for  its  political 
intriguing,  yet  originally  it  was  a  missionary  or- 
ganization. The  members  pledged  themselves  to 
go  into  some  foreign  field.  Xavier  did  not  carry 
out  his  pledge  for  many  years.  But  finally  he 
sailed  for  India;  and  the  last  years  of  his  life 
were  spent  there  and  in  Japan.  It  is  said  that  he 
used  to  go  through  the  streets  of  the  cities  where 
he  labored,  ringing  a  bell  to  call  the  people  to 
confessional.  His  success  was  great,  but  tran- 
sient. He  baptized  multitudes,  but  their  conver- 
sion was  more  a  change  of  religion  than  a  change 
of  heart. 

However,  Xavier  himself  was  a  devout  and 
zealous  man,  although  some  of  his  methods  may 


fljjjmttB  of  tlj*  JkfnrmaiUm.  47 

be  questioned.     He  wrote  the  following  hymn 
which  reveals  a  devotion  equal  to  St.  Bernard's : 

"My  God,  I  love  Thee,  not  because 

I  hope  to  gain  a  heaven  thereby, 
Nor  yet  because  who  love  Thee  not 

Are  lost  eternally. 
Not  from  the  hope  of  gaining  aught, 

Not  seeking  a  reward, 
But  as  Thyself  hast  loved  me, 

O  ever-loving  Lord ! 

So  would  I  love  Thee,  dearest  Lord, 

And  in  Thy  praise  will  sing; 
Solely  because  Thou  art  my  God, 

And  my  most  loving  King." 

"Jerusalem,  my  happy  home/'  was  also  writ- 
ten about  this  time,  and  probably  by  a  Roman 
Catholic.  It  is  worthy  to  be  classed  with  the 
"heaven  hymns"  of  Bernard  of  Cluny. 

The  hymns  of  the  Reformation  and  the  suc- 
ceeding period  have  a  stern  character.  They 
are  apt  to  be  doctrinal  and  pervaded  with  sever- 
ity. But  Mrs.  Charles  says  they  speak  of  confi- 
dence in  God,  in  trial  and  conflict.  They  call 
Him  a  Rock,  Fortress,  and  Deliverer. 


CHAPTER  III. 

For  two  hundred  years  the  English  Churches 
sang  nothing  but  metrical  psalms.  The  words 
were  usually  unpoetic,  and  the  music  heavy  and 
slow.  These  qualities  made  their  rendering  very 
tedious.  One  day  the  young  Isaac  Watts  com- 
plained of  them  to  hTs  father,  and,  in  the  course 
of  the  conversation,  expressed  the  opinion  that 
he  could  write  better  hymns  himself.  His  father 
encouraged  him  to  try.  He  wrote  the  hymn  be- 
ginning: 

"Behold  the  glories  of  the  Lamb, 
Amidst  His  Father's  throne; 
Prepare  new  honors  for  His  name, 
And  songs  before  unknown." 

It  was  sung  in  the  church  the  next  Sunday.  The 
people  were  so  delighted  with  it  that  they  asked 
him  to  write  another.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
his  life-work.  In  the  next  few  years  he  wrote 
many  hymns. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-four  Watts  entered  the 
48 


Wntta,  Snfc&ribg?,  unit  Sforotatu  49 

ministry  of  the  Independent  Church,  and  became 
one  of  the  greatest  preachers  of  his  time.  His 
ideal  for  sermons  was  as  high  as  his  ideal  for 
hymns.    He  expresses  it  thus  : 

"That  is  a  good  sermon  which  draws  my 
heart  nearer  to  God;  which  makes  the  grace  of 
Christ  sweeter  to  my  soul,  and  the  (Commands  of 
Christ  easy  and  delightful;  that  is  an  excellent 
discourse,  indeed,  which  enables  me  to  mortify 
some  unruly  sin,  to  vanquish  some  strong  tempta- 
tion, and  weans  me  from  the  enticements  of  this 
lower  world;  which  bears  me  above  all  the  dis- 
quietude of  this  lower  life,  which  fits  me  for 
the  hour  of  death,  and  makes  me  desirous  of  ap- 
pearing before  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord." 

In  another  place  he  says,  "Divine  love  did  not 
send  dreaming  preachers  to  call  dead  sinners  to 
life."  It  seems  unfortunate  that  a  preacher  with 
such  ideals  should  have  a  short  ministry. 

But  Watts  had  injured  himself  in  childhood 
by  overstudy.  It  is  said  that  he  commenced  the 
study  of  Latin  at  four  years  of  age,  Greek  at  nine, 
French  at  ten,  and  Hebrew  at  thirteen.  He  was 
so  diligent  in  his  application  to  his  work  that  he 
did  not  take  proper  recreation  and  rest.  The  re- 
sult was  that  when  he  reached  manhood  he  was 
practically  an  invalid.  Most  of  the  work  of  his 
parish  had  to  be  done  by  an  assistant.  After  he 
was  thirty-eight  he  seldom  even  preached. 
4 


50  jSjymtt  GFrauitraL 

But  his  ill-health  did  not  impair  his  useful- 
ness. Indeed,  it  broadened  the  sphere  of  his  influ- 
ence. James  Montgomery  says:  "Every  Sab- 
bath, in  every  region  of  the  earth  where  his  na- 
tive tongue  is  spoken,  thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  voices  are  sending  the  sacrifices  of 
prayer  and  praise  to  God  in  the  strains  he  pre- 
pared for  them  a  century  ago." 

As  metrical  versions  of  the  Psalms  were  the 
hymns  of  that  time,  Dr.  Watts  founded  many  of 
his  hymns  on  the  Psalms.  Indeed  he  published 
a  Psalter.  Many  of  the  pieces  it  contained  were 
very  ordinary  compositions,  yet  the  book,  as  a 
whole,  was  far  superior  to  any  previous  Psalter. 
"O  God,  our  help  in  ages  past,"  was  perhaps  the 
greatest  piece  in  the  book.  The  people  appre- 
ciated the  value  of  this  new  version  of  the  Psalms, 
and  four  thousand  copies  were  sold  the  first  year. 

But  Watts  was  too  original  to  confine  himself 
to  the  Psalms.  He  said:  "What  need  is  there 
that  I  should  wrap  up  the  shining  honors  of  my 
Redeemer  in  the  dark  and  shadowy  language  of 
a  religion  forever  abolished?"  So,  long  before 
he  published  his  Psalter,  he  published  a  volume 
called  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs."  It  was  the 
first  attempt  ever  made  in  England  to  supersede 
the  Psalter.  Consequently  it  met  with  bitter  op- 
position. Devout  persons  regarded  it  as  sacrile- 
gious to  sing  uninspired  hymns.  For  nearly 
thirty  years  his  best  hymns  were  excluded  from 


the  Church  services.  The  people  called  them 
"Watts's  Whims."  Some  congregations  were 
actually  split  because  of  their  introduction.  But 
the  day  was  coming  when  their  merits  would  be 
appreciated.  When  that  time  did  come,  the  Eng- 
lish Churches  were  as  prejudiced  in  favor  of 
Watts  as  they  had  previously  been  bitter  in  oppo- 
sition. For  a  century  his  were  the  only  hymns 
sung  in  the  Independent  Churches.  Indeed,  it 
is  said  that  if  a  hymn  by  another  author  was  an- 
nounced, some  of  the  congregation  would  sit 
down,  taking  that  way  to  express  their  disap- 
proval. 

To-day  few  Christmas  hymns  are  more  popu- 
lar than 

"Joy  to  the  world!  the  Lord  is  come." 

To  the  pessimist  who  is  always  insisting  that  the 
world  is  growing  worse,  the  Church  might  well 
reply  in  the  language  of  the  last  stanza  : 

"He  rules  the  world  with  truth  and  grace, 

And  makes  the  nations  prove 
The  glories  of  His  righteousness, 
And  wonders  of  His  love." 

He  makes  them  prove  it. 

His  missionary  hymn  stands  second  only  to 
Heber's.    It  was  probably  never  sung  under  more 


52  Sfgmtt  J&rtmxn*. 

impressive  circumstances  than  on  Whitsunday, 
1862.  The  natives  of  Samoa,  Tonga,  and  Fiji 
had  recently  received  a  charter  exchanging  their 
heathen  government  for  a  Christian  one.  On 
this  particular  day  five  thousand  natives  met  un- 
der a  banyan-tree  and  sang : 

"Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
Does  his  successive  journeys  run." 

Then,  in  truth,  did 

"The  princes  meet, 
To  pay  their  homage  at  His  feet; 
While  western  empires  own  their  Lord, 
And  savage  tribes  attend  His  word." 

It  is  said  that  when  Commodore  Perry's  fleet 
was  in  the  Japanese  Harbor,  ngotiating  the  treaty 
of  1854,  the  crew  sang  at  Divine  worship, — 

"Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne 
Ye  nations  bow  with  sacred  joy; 
Know  that  the  Lord  is  God  alone, 
He  can  create,  and  He  destroy." 

Dr.  Watts's  hymns  are  filled  with  invitations 
to  worship.    Here  are  a  few : 

"Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs 
With  angels  round  the  throne;" 


and, 
and, 


JUatta,  Bo&br%j>,  mil  Jforotnn.  53 

"Come,  sound  His  praise  abroad, 
And  hymns  of  glory  sing;" 

"Let  all  on  earth  their  voices  raise, 
To  sing  the  great  Jehovah's  praise, 
And  bless  His  holy  name." 


Once  again, 

"Come,  ye  that  love  the  Lord, 
And  let  your  joys  be  known." 

These  examples  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely. 
The  author  had  evidently  tasted  the  joys  of  Chris- 
tianity. His  masterpiece  is  in  quite  a  different 
vein.  Yet  only  one  who  truly  worshiped  could 
write : 

"When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross 
On  which  the  Prince  of  glory  died, 
My  richest  gain  I  count  but  loss, 
And  pour  contempt  on  all  my  pride.,, 

It  is  a  hymn  of  meditation  and  consecration.  In 
the  last  stanza  he  says : 

"Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  mine, 

That  were  a  present  far  too  small ; 
Love  so  amazing,  so  divine, 

Demands  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all." 

In  this  stanza  the  author  makes  a  striking  com- 
parison between  the  value  of  the  human  soul  and 


54  ijjjmtt  5Jr*asurwL 

that  of  "the  whole  realm  of  nature."  The  hymn 
is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  language.  Some  au- 
thorities 'consider  it  one  of  the  best  ten;  others 
place  it  among  the  first  six. 

Dr.  Watts  never  married.  He  loved  a  gifted 
young  woman ;  but  when  he  proposed  marriage, 
she  replied  that  " while  she  admired  the  jewel, 
she  could  not  admire  the  casket  that  held  it." 
Soon  afterwards  Watts  wrote  a  hymn  which  he 
entitled,  "Love  to  the  creature  dangerous."  It 
reveals  both  the  bitterness  of  the  disappointment 
and  the  completeness  of  his  triumph  over  it. 
Here  are  a  few  selected  lines : 

"Our  dearest  joys,  our  nearest  friends, 

The  partners  of  our  blood, 
How  they  divide  our  wavering  minds 

And  leave  but  half  for  God ! 
My  Savior,  let  Thy  beauties  be 

My  soul's  eternal  food ; 
And  grace  command  my  heart  away 

From  all  created  good." 

During  the  lonely  years  that  followed  he  had 
a  friend  in  Sir  Thomas  Abney,  under  whose  hos- 
pitable roof  he  spent  the  last  thirty-six  years  of 
his  life. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  a  man  who  never 
had  children  of  his  own  should  be  the  first  one 
to  write  hymns  for  children.     Yet  Dr.  Watts's 


Watte,  Butortog*,  anb  Sfomintu  55 

"Divine  and  Moral  Songs"  was  the  first  of  its 
kind.  It  was  written  for  Sir  Thomas's  children, 
and  contained  the  famous  songs : 

"How  doth  the  little  busy  bee 
Improve  each  shining  hour/' 
and, 

"Let  dogs  delight  to  bark  and  bite." 

The  cradle  song  beginning, 

"Hush,  my  babe,  lie  still  and  slumber," 

was  the  best  piece  in  the  collection. 

Although  famous  in  their  day  most  of  these 
pieces  are  only  memories  now. 

In  general,  Dr.  Watts's  hymns  are  character- 
ized by  stateliness  and  majesty.  They  are  solemn, 
and  yet  glad ;  ardent,  and  yet  grand.  "They  lean 
rather  to  a  reverential  faith  than  a  penitential 
fear." 

The  following  story  is  told  of  how  he  replied 
to  a  man  who  reflected  on  his  personal  appear- 
ance, which  was  insignificant.  One  day,  when 
he  was  in  a  coffee-house,  some  one  asked  in- 
credulously, "Is  that  the  great  Dr.  Watts?" 
Watts  heard  him  and  replied : 

"Were  I  so  tall  to  reach  the  pole, 
Or  grasp  the  ocean  in  my  span, 
I  must  be  measured  by  my  soul — 
The  mind  's  the  standard  of  a  man." 


56  ISfgmtt  QxmBtvct*. 

His  soul  was  great. 

At  length,  after  seventy- four  years  of  service, 
he  was  called  to  join  the  choir  above.  The  frail, 
worn-out  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  Bunhill,  a  Puri- 
tan cemetery  in  London,  where  Daniel  Defoe  and 
John  Bunyan  were  already  buried. 

Christians  of  all  denominations  united  in  rais- 
ing a  monument  to  him  at  Southampton,  which 
had  been  his  home.  His  bust  has  a  place  among 
the  immortal  poets  in  the  British  Museum, 
"where  it  commands  larger  respect  than  the  busts 
of  kings."  But  perhaps  his  greatest  monument 
is  his  hymns,  and  his  chief  honor,  to  be  the  recog- 
nized founder  of  modern  hymnody. 

Philip  Doddridge  came  soon  after  Watts,  and 
imitated  his  style.  Yet  there  are  marked  differ- 
ences. His  hymns  lack  the  grandeur  of  Watts's, 
but  they  "reflect  the  wide  sympathy  and  gentle, 
unaffected  goodness  of  their  author."  Instead  of 
expressing  joy  in  worship,  they  express  joy  in 
service,  as  witness : 

"My  gracious  Lord,  I  own  Thy  right 

To  every  service  I  can  pay, 
And  call  it  my  supreme  delight 
To  hear  Thy  dictates,  and  obey. 

What  is  my  being  but  for  Thee, 
Its  sure  support,  its  noblest  end? 

'T  is  my  delight  Thy  face  to  see, 
And  serve  the  cause  of  such  a  Friend." 


•Matte,  SaMirtfcg*,  ani  Jfemtan.  57 

Duty  was  no  irksome  task — 


:<How  gentle  God's  commands ! 
How  kind  His  precepts  are  V 


Again, 


W,T  is  to  my  Savior  I  would  live, 

To  Him  who  for  my  ransom  died; 
Nor  could  all  worldly  honor  give 
Such  bliss  as  crowns  me  at  His  side. 

His  work  my  hoary  age  shall  bless, 
When  youthful  vigor  is  no  more; 

And  my  last  hour  of  life  confess 
His  dying  love,  His  saving  power." 

When  care  and  sorrow  did  weigh  upon  him, 
he  meditated  upon  the  providence  of  God,  and 
came  to  this  conclusion : 

"His  goodness  stands  approved 

Down  to  the  present  day : 
I  '11  drop  my  burden  at  His  feet, 
And  bear  a  song  away." 

These  lofty  ideals  were  no  mere  sentiment 
with  him.  Although  very  delicate,  he  was  ac- 
customed to  awake  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing and  sing : 

"Awake,  my  soul,  to  meet  the  day; 

Unfold  thy  drowsy  eyes, 
And  burst  the  heavy  chain  that  binds 
Thine  active  faculties." 


58  2jj}mn  l&vtwmxta. 

When  he  reached  the  stanza, 

"Pardon,  O  God,  •my  former  sloth, 

And  arm  my  soul  with  grace, 
As,  rising,  now  I  seal  my  vows 
To  prosecute  Thy  ways," 

he  would  leave  his  bed  and  prepare  for  his  day's 
work.  By  beginning  the  day  thus  he  kept  the 
intention  expressed  in  the  stanza : 

"High  Heaven,  that  heard  the  solemn  vow, 
That  vow  renewed  shall  daily  hear, 
Till  in  life's  latest  hour  I  bow, 
And  bless  in  death  a  bond  so  dear." 

He  was  a  minister  of  the  Independent  Church. 
In  addition  to  his  pastoral  cares,  he  assumed,  in 
1729,  the  presidency  of  a  Theological  Institute  of 
two  hundred  students.  He  appreciated  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  his  position.    Some  one  has  said : 

"Seldom  has  there  been  a  more  laborious  or 
conscientious  life  than  that  of  Doddridge.  To 
serve  his  Divine  Master  was  the  ruling  principle 
of  his  heart,  and  to  the  advancement  of  the  sacred 
cause  he  brought  all  the  energies  of  an  active 
mind,  and  all  the  stores  of  an  almost  boundless 
knowledge,  daily  to  bear.  Many  students  re- 
sorted to  him  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  and 
amongst  these  not  a  few  rose  to  distinction,  not 
among  Dissenters  only,  but  among  the  Estab- 


JBatta,  Sntortig*,  mb  Ktwfam.  59 

lished   Churches  of  England  and   Scotland,    in 
America,  and  even  in  Holland. " 

Concerning  the  sacred  calling  Doddridge 
wrote : 

"Let  Zion's  watchmen  all  awake, 
And  take  the  alarm  they  give ; 
Now  let  them  from  the  mouth  of  God 
Their  solemn  charge  receive. 

'T  is  not  a  cause  of  small  import 

The  pastor's  care  demands; 
But  what  might  fill  an  angel's  heart, 

And  filled  a  Savior's  hands." 

Although  Doddridge  enjoyed  his  work,  the 
strain  proved  too  much  for  his  strength.  While 
yet  in  the  prime  of  life  his  health  failed,  and  he 
was  sent  by  his  friends  to  Lisbon,  in  the  hope 
that  he  would  improve.  However,  he  died  there 
in  175 1,  aged  forty-nine  years.  He  was  ready 
and  anxious  to  go.  Even  years  before,  he  had 
written  to  his  wife : 

"It  is  pleasant  to  read ;  pleasant  to  compose ; 
pleasant  to  converse  with  friends  at  home ;  pleas- 
ant to  visit  those  abroad — the  poor,  the  sick; 
pleasant  to  go  out  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  poor 
souls  that  are  hungry  for  it,  and  some  dying 
without  it;  pleasant  on  week-days  to  think  how 
near  another  Sabbath  is ;  but  O,  how  much  more 


60  Ifgmtt  Smtamm 

pleasant  to  think  how  near  eternity  is,  and  how 
short  the  journey  through  this  wilderness,  and 
that  it  is  but  a  step  from  earth  to  heaven  I" 

Two  other  hymns  of  his  ought  to  be  men- 
tioned : 

"Hark,  the  glad  sound!  the  Savior  comes," 

is  considered  really  his  greatest  hymn.  In  it  one 
recognizes  Dr.  Watts's  influence.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  know  that  his  hymn, 

"O  God  of  Bethel,  by  whose  hand 
Thy  children  still  are  fed," 

was  a  favorite  with  David  Livingstone,  the  ex- 
plorer. He  learned  it  in  childhood,  and  while 
traveling  in  Africa  often  read  it  aloud.  After- 
wards when  his  body  was  brought  to  England 
and  interred  in  Westminster  Abbey,  this  hymn 
was  sung  at  the  funeral. 

John  Newton  had  a  more  varied  career  than 
either  Watts  or  Doddridge,  yet  he  served  the 
Church  in  a  similar  way.  He  had  a  devout 
mother,  who  early  dedicated  him  to  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  When  he  was  four  years  old  she 
began  to  train  him  for  his  future  work.  But  after 
only  three  years  she  died,  and  he  was  left  to  fol- 
low his  own  way.  At  eleven  he  went  to  sea  with 
his  father.  His  surroundings  were  detrimental 
to  his  character.    He  became  very  profane  and 


•Paffa,  Itobbrtbg*,  mb  Jforofam.  61 

wicked.  As  a  result  of  reading  a  skeptical  book 
he  became  an  infidel.  When  about  eighteen  a 
press-gang  seized  him  and  placed  him  on  the 
Harwich  man-of-war.  In  time  he  rose  to  the 
position  of  midshipman.  But  while  the  ship  lay 
in  Plymouth  Harbor,  England,  he  deserted.  He 
was  soon  caught,  however,  and  treated  with  such 
severity  that  he  was  glad  to  be  exchanged  to  a 
merchantman.  The  next  few  years  were  black 
ones  in  his  history.  The  vessel  visited  the  coast 
of  Africa.  While  there  he  left  it,  and  hired  him- 
self to  a  slave-trader.  His  employer  abused  and 
neglected  him  until  he  was  reduced  to  pitiful 
straits.  At  one  time  he  was  on  the  coast  of  Af- 
rica several  months  without  seeing  a  single  white 
face.  It  was  at  this  time  that  he  gained  the  epi- 
thet "African  Blasphemer."  He  said  afterwards, 
"I  know  not  that  I  ever  met  so  daring  a  blas- 
phemer." But  in  spite  of  his  wickedness  he  cared 
for  education.  He  studied  Euclid,  and  later 
taught  himself  Latin. 

On  a  voyage  back  to  England  he  began  to 
read  Thomas  a  Kempis  to  pass  the  time.  The 
thought  came  to  him,  "What  if  these  things 
should  be  true  ?"  That  night  there  was  a  fearful 
storm,  and  the  ship  was  in  peril.  Newton  was 
thoroughly  awakened.  He  says:  "I  began  to 
pray.  I  could  not  utter  the  prayer  of  faith.  I 
could  not  draw  near  to  a  reconciled  God  and  call 


62  Sjgmtt  QTratatsras* 

Him  Father.  My  prayer  was  like  the  cry  of  the 
raven  which  yet  the  Lord  does  not  disdain  to 
hear."  He  began  to  study  the  New  Testament. 
The  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son  was  a  favorite 
passage,  it  was  so  suited  to  his  own  case.  By 
the  time  he  reached  England  he  was  a  changed 
man.  For  four  years  more,  however,  he  engaged 
in  the  slave  business  through  ignorance.  But 
when  he  became  more  enlightened  he  gave  it  up. 
After  some  difficulty  and  delay  he  became  a  min- 
ister in  the  Established  Church.  Thus  his 
mother's  prayer  was  answered  after  a  lapse  of 
thirty-five  years  and  a  career  of  evil. 

While  he  was  pastor  at  Olney  he  formed  a 
warm  friendship  with  the  poet,  William  Cow- 
per.  Together  they  published  a  book  called 
"Olney  Hymns/'  Newton  said  that  his  hymns, 
which  were  by  far  the  greater  number,  were  "the 
fruit  and  expression  of  his  own  experience." 
For  instance  he  described  his  own  conversion 
thus: 

"In  evil  long  I  took  delight, 

Unawed  by  shame  or  fear, 
Till  a  new  object  struck  my  sight, 
And  stopped  my  wild  career. 

I  saw  One  hanging  on  a  tree, 

In  agonies  and  blood, 
Who  fixed  His  languid  eyes  on  me, 

As  near  His  cross  I  stood," 


HattB,  Bniftrftg?,  anfc  Jfomtntu  63 

He  goes  on  describing  how  he  was  convicted  of 
sin  and  freely  forgiven,  and  then  says : 

"Thus,  while  His  death  my  sin  displays 
In  all  its  blackest  hue, 
Such  is  the  mystery  of  grace, 
It  seals  my  pardon  too." 

Grace  was  one  of  his  favorite  themes.    He  wrote 
in  one  place : 

"Amazing  grace !  how  sweet  the  sound, 
That  saved  a  wretch  like  me ! 
I  once  was  lost,  but  now  am  found, 
Was  blind,  but  now  I  see. 

*T  was  grace  that  taught  my  heart  to  fear, 

And  grace  my  fears  relieved; 
How  precious  did  that  grace  appear 

The  hour  I  first  believed ! 

Through  many  dangers,  toils,  and  snares 

I  have  already  come; 
*T  is  grace  hath  brought  me  safe  thus  far, 

And  grace  will  lead  me  home.,, 

It  is  said  that,  while  preaching,  he  would 
often  lean  forward  on  his  desk  and  say  with  em- 
phasis: "I  never  doubted  the  power  of  God  to 
save  the  heathen  since  he  saved  me."  Newton 
never  tired  of  singing  the  praise  of  the  Name  he 
had  once  blasphemed.    Listen : 


64  iSfgrnn  Qto&Bisrro. 

"How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 

In  a  believer's  ear! 
It  soothes  his  sorrows,  heals  his  wounds, 

And  drives  away  his  fear. 
Dear  Name !  the  rock  on  which  I  build, 

My  shield  and  hiding-place; 
My  never-failing  treasure,  filled 

With  boundless  stores  of  grace ! 

Jesus,  my  Shepherd,  Savior,  Friend, 
My  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King, 

My  Lord,  my  Life,  my  Way,  my  End, 
Accept  the  praise  I  bring  I" 


Again : 


"As  by  the  light  of  opening  day 
The  stars  are  all  concealed, 
So  earthly  pleasures  fade  away, 
When  Jesus  is  revealed." 

Once  again : 

"His  name  yields  the  richest  perfume, 

And  sweeter  than  music  His  voice; 
His  presence  disperses  my  gloom, 
And  makes  all  within  me  rejoice." 

The  entire  hymn  contrasts  the  gloom  of 
Christ's  absence  with  the  joy  of  His  presence. 
The  author  had  been  forgiven  much,  therefore 
he  loved  much. 


3$aite,  Stfiftrtfcge,  anfc  Sfcrotmt.  65 

Newton  preached  regularly  three  times  a 
week  even  after  he  was  eighty  years  old.  On 
account  of  the  infirmities  of  age  his  friends  tried 
to  persuade  him  that  his  work  of  preaching  was 
done.  He  replied :  "What !  shall  the  old  African 
Blasphemer  stop  while  he  can  speak  ?"  But  his 
earthly  ministry  was  almost  over.  He  died  in 
1807,  having  preached  the  Gospel  over  forty 
years. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

In  1790,  when  Jesse  Lee  came  to  New  Eng- 
land for  the  purpose  of  introducing  Methodism, 
he  stood  under  the  Old  Elm,  on  Boston  Common, 
and  sang: 

"Come,  sinners,  to  the  Gospel  feast, 
Let  every  soul  be  Jesus'  guest : 
Ye  need  not  one  be  left  behind, 
For  God  hath  bidden  all  mankind." 

In  this  hymn  the  author,  Charles  Wesley, 
struck  the  keynote  of  the  Wesleyan  Revival.  It 
was  the  proclamation  of  a  salvation  for  all,  that 
stirred  English  society  to  its  very  depths,  that 
transformed  whole  communities,  and  that  finally 
gave  birth  to  Methodism. 

The  Wesleys  had  been  reared  in  the  Estab- 
lished Church.  Their  father,  Samuel  Wesley, 
was  for  many  years  rector  of  the  Church  at  Ep- 
worth,  and  there  Charles  was  born  in  1708.  He 
66 


(partes  WwUs*  67 

was  not  a  precocious  youth,  but  was  "exceed- 
ingly sprightly  and  active,  and  so  remarkable  for 
courage  and  skill  in  juvenile  encounters  that  he 
afterwards  obtained  at  Westminster,  the  title  of 
'Captain  of  the  school/  " 

He  received  a  careful  training  at  the  hands 
of  his  remarkable  mother,  Susannah  Wesley.  It 
is  said  that  she  had  a  personal  talk  with  each  of 
her  children  on  the  subject  of  religion  once  a 
week.  Charles's  turn  came  on  Saturday  even- 
ing. Some  of  the  regulations  of  the  household 
sound  very  strict  to  our  ears.  For  instance,  the 
children  were  only  allowed  to  cry  under  their 
breath.  Another  one  was,  that  in  addressing 
each  other  the  children  should  always  place 
"brother"  or  "sister"  before  the  proper  name. 
Adam  Clarke  says  of  them,  that  "they  had  the 
common  fame  of  being  the  most  loving  family  in 
the  county  of  Lincoln." 

While  still  a  youth  Charles's  character  was 
severely  tested.  An  Irish  nobleman  by  the  name 
of  Garrett  Wesley  made  his  acquaintance,  and 
wished  to  adopt  him,  and  make  him  his  heir. 
Charles  appealed  to  his  father  to  help  him  de- 
cide ;  but  his  father  refused.  Charles  decided, 
finally,  to  decline  the  offer.  He  was  destined  to 
belong  to  a  higher  nobility.  The  one  who  was 
taken  in  his  stead  became  the  ancestor  of  the 
Duke  of  Wellington,  of  Waterloo  fame. 


68  Bjgmtt  QtmrnttB. 

In  view  of  Charles's  future,  it  is  interesting 
to  read  that  his  father,  on  his  death-bed,  repeat- 
edly laid  his  hand  upon  his  son's  head  and  said, 
"Be  steady ;  the  Christian  faith  will  surely  revive 
in  this  kingdom ;  you  shall  see  it,  though  I  shall 
not." 

Wesley  was  a  very  devout  young  man.  While 
a"  student  in  Oxford  he  and  a  few  companions 
formed  the  "Holy  Club.''  The  object  of  this 
organization  was  to  quicken  the  spiritual  life  of 
its  members.  They  not  only  spent  much  time 
in  meditation,  prayer,  and  other  religious  duties, 
but  they  did  much  charitable  work.  They 
visited  the  prisons,  taught  the  children  of  the 
poor,  and  ministered  to  the  sick.  This  systematic 
work  was  probably  what  gained  for  them  the 
name  of  "Methodists."  Charles  was  the  first  to 
receive  the  epithet. 

In  1735,  when  John  Wesley  went  to  Georgia, 
Charles  went  with  him.  For  a  year  the  brothers 
labored  most  earnestly  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Indians,  but  the  mission  proved  a  failure.  Dis- 
couraged at  the  result,  and  ill  at  ease,  Charles 
returned  to  London  in  1736.  He  had  found  that 
neither  mysticism,  philanthropy,  nor  even  mis- 
sionary zeal,  could  satisfy  soul-hunger. 

Craving  he  knew  not  what,  he  went  to  sev- 
eral of  his  friends  when  he  reached  London. 
They  were  devout  men,  but  were  not  able  to  help 


(MfarUa  Wtahij.  69 

him  for  some  time.  At  length,  however,  on  the 
twenty-first  of  May  he  received  peace. 

The  testimony  of  the  great  Hebrew  hymn- 
writer  might  well  have  been  that  of  Charles  Wes- 
ley, "He  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth,  even 
praise  unto  our  God."  Up  to  this  time  Wesley 
had  written  very  few  hymns,  but  from  this  time 
until  his  death,  "his  facility  for  poetic  expression 
never  failed."  As  a  result,  the  rest  of  David's 
prediction  was  verified:  "Many  shall  see  it,  and 
fear,  and  shall  trust  in  the  Lord."  Perhaps 
Wesley's  first  hymn  after  his  conversion  was, — 

"And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain 
An  interest  in  the  Savior's  blood  ?" 

It  is  without  doubt  a  description  of  his  own  ex- 
perience. No  one  who  had  not  felt  the  joys  of 
conversion  :could  write  so  graphic  an  account  of 
the  change  as  is  contained  in  the  fourth  stanza : 

"Long  my  imprisoned  spirit  lay, 

Fast  bound  in  sin  and  nature's  night ; 
Thine  eye  diffused  a  quickening  ray, 

I  woke,  the  dungeon  flamed  with  light : 
My  chains  fell  off,  my  heart  was  free, 
I  rose,  went  forth,  and  followed  Thee." 

Every  line  of  the  hymn  throbs  with  the  joy,  love, 
and  wonder  of  a  new  convert. 


7o  ISfomn  BtmBtxttB. 

Not  long  after  this  he  received  the  living  of 
Isingham;  but  his  earnestness  and  zeal  soon  of- 
fended his  parishioners,  and  he  was  forcibly 
driven  from  the  Church. 

He  now  entered  upon  his  life-work.  His 
preparation  was  admirable.  He  had  a  strong 
body,  a  trained  mind,  and  a  consecrated  heart. 
He  knew  whom  he  had  believed,  and  he  declared 
Him  unto  others.  The  Church  doors  having 
been  closed  against  him,  he  preached  wherever 
he  could, — in  private  houses,  on  the  streets,  and 
in  the  fields.  For  several  years  he  traveled  al- 
most constantly,  visiting  nearly  every  part  of 
England  and  Wales.  He  had  many  thrilling  ex- 
periences. He  was  waylaid  by  robbers,  attacked 
by  mobs,  exposed  in  storms,  and  threatened  by 
opponents.    Yet  he  went  on  tirelessly, 

"To  serve  the  present  age, 
My  calling  to  fulfill—" 

That  was  the  purpose,  the  ambition,  the  ruling 
passion  of  his  life. 

In  all  their  work,  he  and  his  brother  John  in- 
sisted upon  two  great  truths.  First,  that  salva- 
tion was  free  to  all ;  second,  that  every  one  might 
know  that  he  was  saved.  These  were  revolution- 
ary doctrines.  The  former  was  diametrically  op- 
posed to  Calvinism,  which  was  the  popular  creed 


QH|arl*0  WroUg.  71 

in  England  at  that  time,  and  which  taught  that 
salvation  was  for  the  elect  only.  The  latter  had 
long  been  forgotten  in  the  formalism  of  the  Es- 
tablished Church.  These  heresies,  as  many  con- 
sidered them,  were  the  cause  of  much  opposition. 
Many  very  good  people,  through  ignorance  or 
prejudice,  regarded  the  work  with  disfavor,  and 
sought  to  hinder  it.  But  persecution  did  not 
silence  the  reformers.  In  one  troublous  time 
Charles  wrote, — 

"Ye  servants  of  God,  your  Master  proclaim, 
And  publish  abroad  His  wonderful  name; 
The  name  all-victorious  of  Jesus  extol : 
His  kingdom  is  glorious,  and  rules  over  all," — 

and  inscribed  it,  "To  be  sung  in  a  tumult." 

But  he  devoted  himself  chiefly  to  the  lower 
classes, — prisoners,  miners,  and  outcasts.  It  was 
for  them  he  labored  and  suffered,  and  they  heard 
him  gladly.  Why  should  they  not?  His  mes- 
sage was, — 

"The  year  of  jubilee  is  come ! 
Return,  ye  ransomed  sinners,  home." 

But  he  not  only  wrote  hymns  of  general  in- 
vitation and  helpfulness ;  he  also  wrote  them  for 
the  use  of  special  classes  for  whom  he  labored. 
For  criminals  condemned  to  death  he  wrote  this 
humble  plea : 


72  Hfxpim  Q>vm$nr?8. 

"We  have  no  outward  righteousness, 
No  merits  or  good  works  to  plead; 
We  only  can  be  saved  by  grace ; 
Thy  grace,  O  Lord,  is  free  indeed/' 

He  had  great  success  among  the  Kingswood 
colliers.  They  were  very  ignorant  and  desper- 
ately wicked.  After  a  revival  in  which  many 
were  converted,  Wesley  wrote  for  their  use, — 

"Glory  to  God,  whose  sovereign  grace 
Hath  animated  senseless  stones, 
Called  us  to  stand  before  His  face, 
And  raised  us  unto  Abrah'm's  sons. 

The  people  that  in  darkness  lay, 
In  sin  and  error's  deadly  shade, 

Have  seen  a  glorious  gospel-day 
In  Jesus'  lovely  face  displayed." 

It  was  among  these  people  that  the  custom  of 
observing  watch-night  originated.  In  the  old 
days  they  had  been  used  to  spending  their  Sat- 
urday nights  in  the  ale-house ;  but  after  their  con- 
version they  spent  the  night  in  prayer.  The  first 
meeting  was  held  December  31,  1740,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  James  Rogers,  a  fiddler,  and  a  leader 
in  their  former  revels.  The  zealous  converts 
held  a  watch-night  meeting  once  a  month  at  first ; 
later,  once  a  quarter;  and  finally,  once  a  year. 
For  their  use  on  su<ch  occasions  Wesley  wrote 
two  hymns : 


(HifWcUB  WvzUy.  73 

"How  happy,  gracious  Lord,  are  we, 
Divinely  drawn  to  follow  Thee ! 

Whose  hours  divided  are 
Betwixt  the  mount  and  multitude ; 
Our  day  is  spent  in  doing  good, 

Our  night  in  praise  and  prayer;" 

and,  referring  to  their  former  customs, 

"Oft  have  we  passed  the  guilty  night 

In  reveling  and  frantic  mirth ; 
The  creature  was  our  sole  delight, 

Our  happiness  the  things  of  earth ; 
But  O,  suffice  the  season  past, 
We  choose  the  better  part  at  last !" 

The  imagery  of  Wesley's  hymns  was  often 
suggested  by  his  surroundings. 

"See  how  great  a  flame  aspires, 
Kindled  by  a  spark  of  grace V9 

was  written  for  the  Newcastle  colliers,  and  the 
figure  was  probably  suggested  by  the  great  fires 
which  they  used,  and  which  illuminated  all  the 
region  round,  even  on  a  dark  night. 

In  his  work  among  the  people,  Wesley  be- 
came acquainted  with  all  phases  of  heart  expe- 
rience, and  they  all  find  expression  in  his  hymns, 
from  the  trembling  sinner  who  says, 

"Depth  of  mercy !  can  there  be 
Mercy  still  reserved  for  me?" 


74  JSfjjmn  SmtBurm 

to  the  triumphant  saint  who  shouts, 

"O  glorious  hope  of  perfect  love! 
It  lifts  me  up  to  things  above ; 

It  bears  on  eagles'  wings; 
It  gives  my  ravished  soul  a  taste, 
And  makes  me  for  some  moments  feast 

With  Jesus'  priests  and  kings." 

Wesley  himself  lived  in  such  a  spiritual  at- 
mosphere,— on  the  mountain-top  of  Christian  ex- 
perience. Consequently  he  took  loftier  flights 
than  were  possible  to  those  who  dwelt  on  the 
plain.  Sometimes  the  spirit  of  the  Fathers 
seemed  to  animate  him.  St.  Bernard,  with  all  his 
love  and  longing,  did  not  excel  Wesley's  cry, — 

"O  Love  divine,  how  sweet  thou  art! 
When  shall  I  find  my  willing  heart 

All  taken  up  by  thee? 
I  thirst,  I  faint,  I  die  to  prove 
The  greatness  of  redeeming  love, 

The  love  of  Christ  to  me." 

Nor  did  any  medieval  recluse  have  a  more 
unworldly  ambition  than  is  revealed  in  the  fol- 
lowing lines : 

"Then  let  us  sit  beneath  His  cross, 
And  gladly  catch  the  healing  stream ; 

All  things  for  Him  account  but  loss, 
And  give  up  all  our  hearts  to  Him : 

Of  nothing  think  or  speak  beside. — 

My  Lord,  my  Love,  is  crucified." 

Such  language  is  beyond  the  comprehension 
of  ordinary  Christians.     But  before  they  judge 


(Etiarba  Urabg.  75 

the  author  extravagant,  they  should  consider  that 
Wesley  had  more  than  simply  a  deep  religious  ex- 
perience and  an  emotional  nature.  His  whole 
time,  thought,  and  strength  were  devoted  to  di- 
rect religious  work.  He  did  not  have  even  a 
secular  occupation  to  divide  his  attention.  There 
is  another  of  his  hymns  which  every  one  can  ap- 
preciate and  love. 

"Jesus,  Lover  of  my  soul, 
Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly," 

is  one  of  the  greatest  hymns  of  the  Church.  It 
has  comforted  multitudes  in  danger  or  distress. 
He  wrote  another  hymn  which  is  not  sung  so 
often,  but  which  ranks  higher  as  a  literary  pro- 
duction. It  is  founded  on  the  story  of  Jacob's 
struggle  with  the  angel  at  Peniel,  and  represents 
the  soul's  struggle  and  victory.    It  begins : 

"Come,  O  thou  Traveler  unknown, 
Whom  still  I  hold  but  can  not  see ; 
My  company  before  is  gone, 

And  I  am  left  alone  with  Thee : 
With  Thee  all  night  I  mean  to  stay, 
And  wrestle  till  the  break  of  day." 

A  little  later  he  cries  out: 

"In  vain  Thou  strugglest  to  get  free, 

I  never  will  unloose  my  hold : 
Art  Thou  the  Man  that  died  for  me  ? 


76  2jxjmtt  ®tttxmtt&. 

The  secret  of  Thy  love  unfold : 
Wrestling,  I  will  not  let  Thee  go, 
Till  I  Thy  name,  Thy  nature  know." 

His  determination  to  know  "the  name"  in- 
creases with  the  growing  intensity  of  the  strug- 
gle: 

"What  though  my  shrinking  flesh  complain, 

And  murmur  to  contend  so  long? 
I  rise  superior  to  my  pain ; 

When  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong : 
And  when  my  all  of  strength  shall  fail, 
I  shall  with  the  God-man  prevail/' 

At  length  comes  the  shout  of  victory : 

"  'T  is  Love !    'T  is  Love  !    Thou  diedst  for  me ! 
I  hear  Thy  whisper  in  my  heart; 
The  morning  breaks,  the  shadows  flee; 

Pure,  universal  love  Thou  art: 
To  me,  to  all,  Thy  bowels  move; 
Thy  nature  and  Thy  name  is  Love." 

Dr.  Watts  so  admired  this  lyric  that  he  said 
it  alone  "was  worth  all  he  himself  had  ever  writ- 
ten." 

Wesley's  marriage  hymns  have  a  peculiar 
charm.  One  of  them,  "Come,  Thou  everlasting 
Lord,"  was  sung  at  his  own  wedding. 

In  1742,  Susannah  Wesley  died.  Just  before 
she  lost  consciousness,  she  said  to  those  gathered 


OUptrlra  UeHlnj.  77 

at  her  bedside,  "As  soon  as  I  am  released,  sing  a 
psalm  of  praise  to  God."  They  did  as  they  were 
bidden  and  sang, 

"Blessing,  honor,  thank  and  praise," 

a  hymn  which  Charles  had  written  for  such  an 
occasion.  Three  years  later  he  published  a  hymn 
which  he  had  written  as  a  eulogy  on  his  sainted 
parents.  It  is  founded  on  St.  John's  description 
of  the  company  of  heaven  and  contains  this 
stanza : 

"Out  of  great  distress  they  came, 

Washed  their  robes  by  faith  below, 
In  the  blood  of  yonder  Lamb, 

Blood  that  washes  white  as  snow ; 
Therefore  are  they  next  the  throne, 

Serve  their  Maker  day  and  night ; 
God  resides  among  His  own, 

God  doth  in  His  saints  delight." 

All  Wesley's  funeral  and  judgment  hymns 
take  high  rank.  "Instead  of  dirges  they  are  songs 
of  triumph."  He  said,  "The  Church  which  suf- 
fers with  Christ  here,  and  the  Church  which 
reigns  with  Him  there,  shall  all  be  gathered  into 
one  temple."    With  that  feeling  he  wrote, — 

"Rejoice  for  a  brother  deceased, 
Our  loss  is  his  infinite  gain;" 


78  ISfgrntt  QtoraismL 

and, 

"Come,  let  us  join  our  friends  above 
That  have  obtained  the  prize, 
And  on  the  eagle  wings  of  love 
To  joys  celestial  rise;" 

and  once  again, 

"How  happy  every  child  of  grace, 
Who  knows  his  sins  forgiven! 
'This  earth/  he  cries,  'is  not  my  place, 
I  seek  my  place  in  heaven.'  n 

The  Cornish  miners  were  devoted  adherents 
of  the  Wesleys.  They  held  their  funerals  in  the 
evening,  and  were  accustomed  to  sing  on  their 
way  to  the  burial  the  first  of  these  hymns,  and, 
as  they  gathered  about  the  grave,  the  second  one. 

John  Wesley  preached  the  funeral  sermon  of 
George  Whitefield.  When  it  was  published,  the 
following  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley  was  ap- 
pended : 

"Servant  of  God,  well  done! 

Thy  glorious  warfare 's  past ; 
The  battle's  fought,  the  race  is  won, 
And  thou  art  crowned  at  last." 

Wesley's  greatest  judgment  hymn  is  undoubt- 
edly 

"Lo!  He  comes,  with  clouds  descending." 
It  has  been  called  "The  English  Dies  Irae." 


QttfUtUB  WtBhy.  79 

"Stand  the  omnipotent  decree ! 
Jehovah's  will  be  done !" 

was  written  at  a  time  when  England  was  shaken 
by  earthquake  shocks.  The  people  were  very 
much  alarmed  and  believed  that  the  end  of  the 
world  was  near.  A  story  is  told  of  Charles  Wes- 
ley which  illustrates  his  fortitude  in  this  anxious 
time.  One  morning  he  was  just  beginning  to 
preach,  when  a  shock  occurred  which  rocked  the 
building  where  the  people  were  assembled.  The 
audience  was  frantic  with  terror,  but  Wesley  re- 
peated with  perfect  calmness:  "Therefore  will 
not  we  fear  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and 
though  the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of 
the  sea."  It  was  the  same  spirit  that  breathed  in 
this  judgment  hymn.  James  Montgomery  called 
it  "one  of  the  most  daring  and  victorious  flights 
of  the  author."  Robert  Southey  considered  it 
"the  finest  lyric  in  the  English  language." 

These  are  only  a  few  of  the  hymns  which 
won  for  their  author  the  first  place  among  hymn- 
writers.  "Isaac  Watts  was  the  founder  of  the 
choir,  but  in  it  Charles  Wesley  had  the  noblest 
voice."  There  is  his  Christmas  hymn,  "Hark, 
the  herald  angels  sing;"  and  his  easter  hymn, 
"Christ  the  Lord  is  risen  to-day,"  both  of 
them  great  lyrics.  There  is  "Arise,  my  soul, 
arise,"     which    has    always    been    a    favorite 


80  %mtt  QtmBKvm. 

with  the  Methodist  Church.  "Christ,  whose 
glory  fills  the  skies,"  also  deserves  honor- 
able mention.  The  list  might  be  extended 
indefinitely.  He  wrote  about  seven  thousand 
hymns,  and  "no  one  who  has  written  so 
much  ever  wrote  so  well."  Many  have  ascribed 
their  superiority  to  genius.  That  is  only  half 
the  truth.  It  was  genius  fired  by  the  conscious- 
ness of  present  and  perfect  salvation.  He  wrote 
out  of  his  own  experience;  therefore  his  hymns 
will  live  as  long  as  the  Church  sings. 

At  last,  after  fifty  years  of  most  arduous 
service,  he  was  called  to  sing  in  the  heavenly 
choir.  Just  a  few  days  before  his  death  he  dic- 
tated his  last  hymn : 

"In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
Who  shall  a  helpless  worm  redeem? 
Jesus,  my  only  hope  Thou  art, 
Strength  of  my  failing  flesh  and  heart : 
O  could  I  catch  one  smile  from  Thee, 
And  drop  into  eternity !" 

Neither  in  life  nor  death  did  he  receive  any 
national  honors.  He  was  buried  in  Marylebone 
churchyard,  and  the  following  epitaph,  written 
by  himself  for  a  friend,  was  placed  on  his  tomb- 
stone : 


"With  poverty  of  spirit  blest, 
Rest,  happy  saint,  in  Jesus  r 


"esus  rest. 


A  sinner  saved,  through  grace  forgiven, 
Redeemed  from  earth  to  reign  in  heaven, 
Thy  labors  of  unwearied  love, 
Forgot  by  thee,  are  crowned  above, — 
Crowned,  through  mercy  of  thy  Lord, 
With  a  full,  free,  immense  reward/' 

As  it  was  said  of  Abel  of  old,  so  it  might  be 
said  of  Charles  Wesley,  "he  being  dead  yet  speak- 
eth,"  through  his  hymns. 


CHAPTER  V. 

There  is  in  Westminster  Abbey  a  tombstone 
which  bears  the  inscription,  "In  the  cross  of 
Christ  I  glory."  It  marks  the  resting-place  of  an 
English  nobleman,  Sir  John  Bowring. 

He  was  a  man  of  marked  ability.  He  spoke 
twenty-two  languages  fluently,  and  could  con- 
verse in  one  hundred.  He  was  a  prolific  writer, 
and  the  first  editor  of  the  Westminster  Review. 

In  1843  he  entered  Parliament.  While  a 
member  of  that  body,  he  advocated  extreme  lib- 
eral measures.  As  a  statesman  he  served  his 
country  in  various  ways.  In  1854  the  queen 
knighted  him,  and  made  him  governor  of  Hong- 
Kong.  Later  he  became  vice-admiral  and  super- 
intendent of  trade,  east  of  the  Ganges.  In  the 
course  of  his  political  career  he  concluded  treat- 
ies with  Holland,  Belgium,  Spain,  Switzerland, 
Italy,  and  Sweden. 

His  success  was  due  largely  to  his  industry. 
He  was  an  indefatigable  worker.  Whenever  his 
8? 


Sfttlrii  Ujgmn-Jirfora*  83 

friends  remonstrated  with  him  he  would  reply, 
"I  must  do  my  work  while  life  is  left  to  me;  I 
may  not  long  be  here." 

He  was  an  enthusiast  in  whatever  he  did. 
This  applies  as  much  to  his  religious  as  to  his 
secular  life.  Although  a  Unitarian  in  creed,  "he 
was  sincere  in  faith  and  evangelical  in  life."  His 
real  devotion  is  shown  in  his  hymns.  Speaking 
of  them  he  said :  "These  hymns  were  not  written 
in  pursuit  of  fame  or  literary  triumph.  I  have 
not  tried  to  be  original,  but  to  be  useful  is  my 
first  ambition.  That  obtained,  I  am  indifferent  to 
the  rest."    With  this  high  motive  he  wrote, — 

"In  the  cross  of  Christ  I  glory, 

Towering  o'er  the  wrecks  of  time ; 
All  the  light  of  sacred  story 

Gathers  round  its  head  sublime." 

It  is  not  surprising  that  a  man  who  wrote 
early  in  life, — 

"God  is  love ;  His  mercy  brightens 
All  the  path  in  which  we  rove ; 
Bliss  He  wakes,  and  woe  He  lightens ; 
God  is  wisdom,  God  is  Love," — 

should  in  extreme  old  age  begin  nearly  every  day 
with  a  new  song  of  adoration  and  praise. 

But  his  religion  was  practical  as  well  as  de- 
votional.   Nearly  every  reform  received  his  warm 


84  ifgmn  WxtwrnxtB. 

support.  He  was  particularly  interested  in  prison 
reform.  He  was  also  interested  in  young  men. 
It  was  his  delight  to  start  them  in  an  honest  and 
suitable  occupation,  and  then  say  to  them :  "You 
are  now  launched.  Your  fortune  rests  with  your- 
self. I  trust  that,  by  steadiness  and  diligence, 
you  will  give  credit  to  my  recommendation.,, 

Another  nobleman,  Sir  Henry  W.  Baker, 
valued  the  cross  above  all  earthly  treasure,  for 
he  wrote: 

"O  what,  if  we  are  Christ's, 
Is  earthly  shame  or  loss? 
Bright  shall  the  crown  of  glory  be, 
When  we  have  borne  the  cross." 

The  litany,  beginning 

"Savior,  when,  in  dust,  to  Thee 
Low  we  bend  the  adoring  knee;" — 

was  written  by  Sir  Robert  Grant.  At  an  age 
when  many  young  peers  lead  a  gay,  wild  life,  he 
wrote  sacred  lyrics  noted  for  their  solemnity  and 
humility. 

Later  he  entered  Parliament,  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  privy  council,  and  for  the  last  four 
years  of  his  life  was  governor  of  Bombay.  While 
in  Parliament  he  introduced  a  bill  to  remove  the 
disabilities  of  the  Jews. 

He  evidently  looked  upon  nature  with  a  rev- 
erent eye,  for  he  wrote  in  one  of  his  hymns, — 


QxtUb  1%ymn-Wv\UrB.  85 

"O  tell  of  His  might,  and  sing  of  His  grace, 
Whose  robe  is  the  light,  whose  canopy  space; 
His  chariots  of  wrath  the  deep  thunder-clouds  form, 
And  dark  is  His  path  on  the  wings  of  the  storm. 

Thy  bountiful  care  what  tongue  can  recite? 

It  breathes  in  the  air,  it  shines  in  the  light ; 

It  streams  from  the  hills,  it  descends  to  the  plain, 

And  sweetly  distills  in  the  dew  and  the  rain." 

He  wrote  another  hymn  on  nature  and  revelation 
which  he  intended  as  a  counterpart  of  Addison's 
celebrated  ode.  It  is  interesting  to  compare  the 
two,  stanza  by  stanza.     Addison's  hymn  begins 

"The  spacious  firmament  on  high, 
With  all  the  blue  ethereal  sky, 
And  spangled  heavens,  a  shining  frame, 
Their  great  Original  proclaim." 

Grant  replies : 

"The  starry  firmament  on  high, 
And  all  the  glories  of  the  sky, 
Yet  shine  not  to  Thy  praise,  O  Lord, 
So  brightly  as  Thy  written  Word." 

Addison  says  again: 

"Soon  as  the  evening  shades  prevail, 
The  moon  takes  up  the  wondrous  tale, 
And  nightly,  to  the  listening  earth, 
Repeats  the  story  of  her  birth; 


86  i^gmn  Smtsar^L 

While  all  the  stars  that  round  her  burn, 
And  all  the  planets  in  their  turn, 
Confirm  the  tidings  as  they  roll, 
And  spread  the  truth  from  pole  to  pole." 

Grant  replies  again : 

"Almighty  Lord,  the  sun  shall  fail, 
The  moon  forget  her  nightly  tale, 
And  deepest  silence  hush  on  high 
The  radiant  chorus  of  the  sky ; 

But,  fixed  for  everlasting  years, 
Unmoved  amid  the  wreck  of  spheres, 
Thy  Word  shall  shine  in  cloudless  day, 
When  heaven  and  earth  have  passed  away." 

His  unfaltering  confidence  in  Christ  as  an 
ever-present  Helper  is  expressed  in  his  hymn 
which  begins 

"When  gathering  clouds  around  I  view, 
And  days  are  dark,  and  friends  are  few, 
On  Him  I  lean,  who  not  in  vain 
Experienced  every  human  pain." 

Happy  Bombay,  to  have  so  devout  a  governor! 
The  Countess  of  Huntingdon  once  expressed 
gratitude  that  the  Bible  said,  "Not  many  noble 
are  called,"  rather  than  "not  any ;"  for  in  the  lat- 
ter case  she  would  have  been  excluded.  She  was 
an  ardent  friend  of  the  Wesleyan  Revival.    She 


(iJttirti  ijijmn-EiriiFrH.  87 

moved  in  high  life.  Her  home  was  the  resort  of 
many  of  the  most  fashionable  and  aristocratic 
persons  in  the  kingdom.  They  did  not  care  for 
religion  more  than  to  make  a  very  formal  pro- 
fession, but  the  countess  was  deeply  spiritual, 
and  took  an  intense  interest  in  all  religious  and 
philanthropic  work.  When  the  evangelists 
needed  halls  and  chapels,  she  sold  her  jewels  to 
provide  them.  It  is  said  that  she  built  sixty-four 
chapels.  At  her  suggestion,  England  was  di- 
vided into  six  districts,  and  each  district  provided 
with  a  missionary  whose  duty  it  was  to  preach 
in  every  city,  town,  and  village.  George  White- 
field  became  one  of  her  chaplains. 

She  not  only  gave  money,  but  engaged  per- 
sonally in  the  work  of  the  revival.  She  even  ap- 
proached some  of  her  aristocratic  associates  on 
the  subject  of  religion.  Her  advances  were  not 
always  received  with  favor.  One  woman  felt  in- 
sulted, and  wrote  her  a  rude  reply.  But  the 
countess  was  not  discouraged.  She  turned  to  the 
common  people,  and  was  more  successful.  Years 
afterwards  a  workman  confessed  that  he  was  led 
to  Christ  through  overhearing  a  conversation  be- 
tween another  workman  and  the  countess  on  the 
other  side  of  the  wall. 

Although  a  member  of  a  noble  family,  and 
surrounded  by  wealth  and  fashion,  the  countess 
was  humble  in  spirit,  as  her  hymn  proves : 


88  2?gmn  (ExmmrtB. 

"When  Thou,  my  righteous  Judge,  shalt  come 
To  take  Thy  ransomed  people  home, 

Shall  I  among  them  stand  ? 
Shall  such  a  worthless  worm  as  I, 
Who  sometimes  am  afraid  to  die, 
Be  found  at  Thy  right  hand? 

I  love  to  meet  Thy  people  now, 
Before  Thy  feet  with  them  to  bow, 

Though  vilest  of  them  all; 
But  can  I  bear  the  piercing  thought, 
What  if  my  name  should  be  left  out, 

When  Thou  for  them  shalt  call?" 

She  was  not  afraid  to  die  when  the  end  came. 
She  said  simply,  "My  work  is  done ;  I  have  noth- 
ing to  do  but  to  go  unto  my  Father/'  and  passed 
quietly  away. 

Sir  Edward  Denny  published  a  small  volume 
of  hymns,  some  of  which  are  very  beautiful.  The 
Church  will  not  soon  forget  such  hymns  as  these : 


and, 


and, 


"What  grace,  O  Lord,  and  beauty  shone 
Around  Thy  steps  below  I" 


"Jesus  wept!  those  tears  are  ovei, 
But  His  heart  is  still  the  same ;" 


"Light  of  the  lonely  pilgrim's  heart, 
Star  of  the  coming  day." 


mitb  1%%mn-Wvxttta.  89 

Count  Zinzendorf  must  be  reckoned  among, 
the  truly  great  of  the  earth.  He  was  the  son  of 
a  Saxon  statesman,  and  inherited  both  wealth  and 
power.  However,  he  cared  more  for  religion 
than  for  position.  His  piety  manifested  itself 
early.  While  yet  a  child  he  wrote  little  notes  to 
Jesus,  and  threw  them  out  of  the  window  with 
the  expectation  that,  in  some  way,  they  would 
reach  Him. 

A  few  years  later,  when  away  at  school,  his 
teacher,  the  celebrated  Francke,  said  of  him, 
"That  youth  will  some  day  become  a  great  light 
in  the  Church. "  Zinzendorf  studied  law,  but 
spent  his  spare  time  on  theology  and  hymn-writ- 
ing. 

When  thirty  years  old  he  gave  up  all  secular 
duties  and  devoted  himself  to  missionary  work. 
He  knew  what  it  meant  when  he  wrote, — 

"Lo,  all  we  are  to  Thee  we  give;" 

and  in  another  hymn, — 

"Hence  our  hearts  melt,  our  eyes  o'erflow, 
Our  words  are  lost,  nor  will  we  know, 
Nor  will  we  think  of  aught  beside, 
My  Lord,  my  Love  is  crucified." 

As  the  apostle  of  the  United  Brethren,  he  trav- 
eled in   Switzerland,    Germany,    England,    and 


9°  Sfgmn  ®vmanvt$. 

America.  On  one  of  his  voyages  from  the  West 
Indies  to  England  he  wrote : 

"Jesus,  Thy  blood  and  righteousness 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress ; 
'Midst  flaming  worlds,  in  these  arrayed, 
With  joy  shall  I  lift  up  my  head." 

The  practical  side  of  his  religion  was  revealed 
when,  although  in  feeble  health,  he  surrendered 
his  state-room  to  a  Portuguese  Jew  who  begged 
to  be  taken  on  board.    His  hymn  beginning 

"Jesus,  still  lead  on 
Till  our  rest  be  won," 

is  the  first  hymn  taught  to  the  children  in  almost 
every  German  household. 

There  were  spiritual  as  well  as  temporal  lords 
among  the  hymn-writers. 

Every  one  has  sung  the  doxology, 

"Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 

But  comparatively  few  are  acquainted  with 
the  author,  Thomas  Ken.  He  is  well  worth 
knowing.  His  fearlessness  reminds  one  of  John 
the  Baptist.  He  was  chaplain,  first  to  the  Princess 
Mary  at  The  Hague,  and  afterwards  to  Charles 
II,  of    England.      He  reproved  that  monarch 


ExtUb  flfjjmn-WritmL  91 

boldly  for  his  vices.  He  was  equally  fearless  in 
refusing  to  obey  the  king's  command  when  it 
violated  his  conscience.  When  Charles  asked 
him  to  give  up  his  house  to  Nell  Gwynne,  an  ac- 
tress of  low  reputation,  he  promptly  declined. 
The  king  was  not  angry.  When  the  bishopric  of 
Bath  and  Wells  was  vacant,  His  Highness  asked, 
''Where  is  the  little  man  that  would  not  give  poor 
Nell  a  lodging  ?"  and  gave  the  see  to  Ken.  Thus 
he  fared  better  than  the  Baptist.  However,  his 
refusal  to  read  the  "Royal  Declaration"  resulted 
in  his  spending  several  days  in  the  Tower. 

There  was  also  a  gentle  side  to  the  bishop's 
nature.  His  sermons  were  neither  harsh  nor 
bitter.  He  tried  to  win  his  hearers,  not  repel 
them.  He  was  a  great  lover  of  sacred  music. 
He  was  a  skillful  player  on  the  lute,  and  played 
at  musical  societies.  When  he  retired  from  ac- 
tive work  he  gave  all  his  property  to  Lord  Wey- 
mouth, who  allowed  him  eighty  pounds  a  year. 
The  only  things  the  bishop  reserved  for  himself 
were  his  horse,  his  lute,  and  his  Greek  Testament. 
It  is  said  that  the  Greek  Testament  would  open 
of  its  own  accord  to  the  thirteenth  chapter  of 
First  Corinthians. 

The  doxology  is  a  part  of  his  evening  hymn, 
written  for  the  students  in  Winchester  College. 
Although  he  never  feared  man,  he  did  fear  God ; 
so  he  wrote : 


92  ijgmn  Wttm&HL 

"Forgive  me,  Lord,  for  Thy  dear  Son, 
The  ill  which  I  this  day  have  done ; 
That  with  the  world,  myself,  and  Thee, 
I,  ere  I  sleep,  at  peace  may  be. 

Teach  me  to  live,  that  I  may  dread 
The  grave  as  little  as  my  bed ; 
Teach  me  to  die,  that  so  I  may 
Rise  glorious  at  the  j  udgment-day." 

At  his  own  request,  Ken  was  buried  under 
the  last  window  of  the  chancel  of  the  church  at 
Frome  just  as  the  sun  was  rising.  Macaulay  said 
of  him :  "The  moral  character  of  Ken,  when  im- 
partially reviewed,  sustains  comparison  with  any 
in  ecclesiastical  history,  and  seems  to  approach, 
as  nearly  as  human  frailty  permits,  to  the  ideal 
of  Christian  perfection." 

To  Bishop  Reginald  Heber  belongs  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  only  hymn-writer  whose 
hymns  are  every  one  in  common  use.  This  is 
quite  remarkable  as  he  wrote  fifty-seven.  His 
poetic  talent  developed  early.  While  yet  a  stu- 
dent in  Oxford  he  wrote  a  poem  called  "Pales- 
tine." When  it  was  read  at  the  Annual  Com- 
mencement, there  was  such  an  ourburst  of  ap- 
plause as  perhaps  never  greeted  an  Oxford  stu- 
dent. The  young  author  was  missed  at  the  close 
of  the  exercises,  and  was  not  seen  until  his 
mother  found  him  in  his  room  kneeling  in  prayer. 


Sttttrfc  ffijgmu-WrtterfiL  93 

His  hymns  are  polished  and  of  a  high  literary 
quality,  but  were  not  written  for  effect.  The 
author  says:  "No  fulsome  or  indecorous  lan- 
guage has  been  knowingly  adopted;  no  erratic 
addresses  to  Him  whom  no  unclean  lips  can  ap- 
proach ;  no  allegory  ill  understood,  and  worse  ap- 
plied." 

Perhaps  Alfred  Tennyson  was  a  little  extrava- 
gant when  he  declared  that  Heber's  hymn,  be- 
ginning 

"Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty!" 

was  the  finest  hymn  ever  written  in  any  lan- 
guage. Yet  when  one  considers  that  the  primary 
thought  of  a  hymn  is  an  ascription  of  worship  and 
adoration,  he  must  acknowledge  that  this  is  a 
very  perfect  one.  According  to  St.  John,  the  in- 
habitants of  heaven  are  continually  saying, 
"Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which 
was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come."  Indeed  the  whole 
hymn  seems  to  be  founded  on  the  apostle's  de- 
scription of  heaven,  as  contained  in  the  fourth 
chapter  of  Revelation.  Heber's  Christmas  hymn, 
beginning, 

"Brightest  and  best  of  the  sons  of  the  morning," 

is  one  of  the  most  familiar  and  popular  of  its 
class. 


94  ifHttm  Qtoaauraff* 

In  1818  he  lost  his  only  child.  While  under 
the  shadow  of  this  bereavement  he  wrote  the 
hymn: 

"Thou  art  gone  to  the  grave;  but  we  will  not  deplore 

thee, 

Though  sorrows  and  darkness  encompass  the  tomb; 

Thy  Savior  has  passed  through  its  portals  before  thee, 

And  the  lamp  of  His  love  is  thy  guide  through  the 

gloom." 

The  story  of  his  missionary  hymn  is  almost 
too  familiar  to  repeat.  He  wrote  it  in  only  a  few 
minutes  one  Saturday  afternoon,  at  the  request 
of  his  father-in-law,  Dr.  Shipley.  When  he  had 
finished  the  first  three  stanzas  he  submitted  them 
for  criticism.  Dr.  Shipley  was  pleased,  but 
Heber  himself  was  not  satisfied.  He  took  the 
manuscript  again  and  added  the  last  stanza  which 
even  calls  upon  nature  to  spread  the  good  tidings. 

"Waft,  waft,  ye  winds,  His  story, 

And  you,  ye  waters,  roll, 
Till,  like  a  sea  of  glory, 

It  spreads  from  pole  to  pole : 
Till  o'er  our  ransomed  nature 

The  Lamb  for  sinners  slain, 
Redeemer,  King,  Creator, 

In  bliss  returns  to  reign." 

The  hymn  was  sung  the  next  day  in  connec- 
tion with  a  collection  for  the  "Society  for  the 


EUltb  %mn-lfrtt*r!i.  95 

Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. "  It 
has  since  become  the  missionary  hymn  of  the 
Church. 

Several  years  later  he  went  to  "India's  coral 
strand"  as  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta.  For  four 
years  he  traveled  his  diocese,  which  embraced 
British  India,  Mauritius,  Ceylon,  and  Australia, 
and  then  died  in  the  prime  of  his  powers.  "A 
prince  and  a  great  man  had  fallen  in  Israel." 

Many  a  troubled  heart  has  been  comforted  by 
the  hymn 

"Lead,  kindly  Light,  amid  the  encircling  gloom, 
Lead  Thou  me  on." 

John  H.  Newman  wrote  the  hymn  out  of  his 
personal  experience;  perhaps  that  is  the  reason 
of  its  power. 

He  was  returning  from  a  trip  in  the  Orient. 
He  was  very  anxious  to  reach  England,  but  was 
constantly  delayed.  In  Palermo  he  was  taken  so 
ill  with  a  fever  that  his  servant  thought  he  would 
die.  Newman  protested,  exclaiming,  "I  shall 
not  die,  I  shall  not  die ;  for  I  have  sinned  against 
light!"  He  started  again  before  he  was  really 
able,  giving  as  his  only  reason  that  he  had  work 
to  do  in  England.  He  was  exasperated  because 
he  had  to  wait  three  weeks  for  a  vessel.  At 
length  he  took  passage  in  an  orange  boat  bound 


96  iSjgmtt  GlvmmttB. 

for  Marseilles.  Soon  after  sailing,  the  ship  was 
becalmed  for  a  week.  It  was  at  this  point,  when 
everything  seemed  against  him  that  he  wrote  the 
hymn.  May  not  the  circumstances  give  a  new, 
and  perhaps  literal,  meaning  to  the  lines? — 

"The  night  is  dark,  and  I  am  far  from  home; 
Lead  Thou  me  on ! 
Keep  Thou  my  feet;  I  do  not  ask  to  see 
The  distant  scene;  one  step  enough  for  me." 

He  did  finally  reach  England  in  safety. 

Newman  was  the  leader  of  the  High-Church 
party  in  England.  Twelve  years  later  he  left  the 
Established  Church  and  entered  the  Romish  fold. 
He  became  quite  eminent,  and  in  1879  was  made 
cardinal  by  Leo  XIII. 

In  general  these  hymns  breathe  a  spirit  of 
great  humility.  They  reveal  the  inward  great- 
ness of  their  authors,  not  the  outward  rank. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  poets  as  a  class  have  not  been  hymn- 
writers.    Yet  there  are  exceptions. 

John  Milton  gave  the  Church  paraphrases  of 
several  of  the  Psalms.    He  wrote  one  of  them, 

"Let  us  with  a  gladsome  mind, 
Praise  the  Lord,  for  He  is  kind," 

when  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age.  Another  was 
written  in  1648.  At  that  time  England  was  in 
the  throes  of  civil  war.  For  half  a  century  she 
had  suffered  under  the  oppression  and  tyranny 
of  two  monarchs,  James  I  and  Charles  I,  and 
now  she  had  arisen  in  arms  to  assert  her  rights. 
The  Puritans,  who  represented  the  cause  of  the 
people,  were  most  strict  in  their  morals.  To 
them  the  loose  life  at  the  court  was  abhorrent. 
When  they  came  into  power,  they  ruled  England 
with  a  rod  of  iron,  morally  as  well  as  politically. 
7  97 


98  Sjgmtt  Wtmsmw* 

To  this  party  Milton  belonged,  and  to  it  he 
gave  his  most  hearty  sympathy  and  vigorous  sup- 
port. Perhaps  he  had  these  political  conditions 
in  mind  when  he  wrote : 

"The  Lord  will  come,  and  not  be  slow; 

His  footsteps  can  not  err; 
Before  Him  Righteousness  shall  go, 

His  royal  harbinger. 
Truth  from  the  earth,  like  to  a  flower, 

Shall  bud  and  blossom  then, 
And  Justice,  from  her  heavenly  bower, 

Look  down  on  mortal  men." 

"The  Dying  Christian  to  his  Soul"  is  the  work 
of  Alexander  Pope.  It  adds  significance  to  the 
ode  when  one  knows  that  the  author  was  a 
hunch-back  and  a  lifelong  invalid : 

"Vital  spark  of  heavenly  flame, 
Quit,  O  quit  this  mortal  frame  ; 
Trembling,  hoping,  lingering,  flying, 
O  the  pain,  the  bliss  of  dying ! 
Cease,  fond  nature,  cease  thy  strife, 
And  let  me  languish  into  life." 

A  number  of  our  hymns  were  not  written  to 
be  used  as  such,  but  were  imbedded  in  literature. 
Those  of  Joseph  Addison  were  appended  to  his 
essays  in  the  Spectator.  While  he  was  travel- 
ing along  the  coast  of  Italy  his  ship  encountered 


%mtt0  in  Citeratur*.  99 

a  severe  storm.  The  passengers  thought  they 
were  lost,  and  the  captain  confessed  his  sins  to  a 
Capuchin  friar  who  was  on  board.  During  this 
crisis  Addison  wrote : 

"How  are  Thy  servants  blest,  O  Lord ! 

How  sure  is  their  defense ! 
Eternal  Wisdom  is  their  guide, 

Their  help,  Omnipotence. 
When  by  the  dreadful  tempest  borne 

High  on  the  broken  wave, 
They  know  Thou  art  not  slow  to  hear, 

Nor  impotent  to  save." 

It  was  published  several  years  later  in  the 
Spectator  at  the  close  of  his  essay  on  "The  Sea." 
It  is  called  "The  Traveler's  Hymn." 

His  thoughts  often  dwelt  on  the  providence 
of  God.  As  a  natural  result,  "the  feeling  which 
predominates  in  all  his  devotional  writings  is 
gratitude."    He  wrote  in  one  hymn : 

"When  in  the  slippery  paths  of  youth, 

With  heedless  steps  I  ran, 
Thine  arm,  unseen,  conveyed  me  safe, 
And  led  me  up  to  man. 

Through  hidden  dangers,  toils,  and  deaths, 

It  gently  cleared  my  way; 
And  through  the  pleasing  snares  of  vice, 

More  to  be  feared  than  they. 


ioo  fijgmtt  utoasurea. 

Through  all  eternity  to  Thee 

A  grateful  song  1 11  raise ; 
But  O,  eternity's  too  short 

To  utter  all  Thy  praise." 

In  his  paraphrase  of  his  favorite  Psalm  he 
wrote : 

"The  Lord  my  pasture  shall  prepare, 
And  feed  me  with  a  shepherd's  care; 
His  presence  shall  my  wants  supply, 
And  guard  me  with  a  watchful  eye ; 
My  noonday  walks  He  shall  attend, 
And  all  my  midnight  hours  defend." 

Such  meditations  doubtless  increased  the  nat- 
ural cheerfulness  of  his  disposition.  He  always 
looked  on  the  bright  side  of  life,  and  was  an 
optimist  in  the  truest  sense  of  the  word.  In  his 
essays  he  tried  to  win  men  to  virtue  by  making  it 
look  attractive.  Vice,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
made  to  appear  ridiculous  and  offensive.  His 
method  was  eminently  successful.  Macaulay 
says,  "So  effectively,  indeed,  did  he  retort  on 
vice  the  mockery  which  had  recently  been  di- 
rected against  virtue,  that  since  his  time  the  open 
violation  of  decency  has  always  been  considered 
among  us  the  sure  mark  of  a  fool." 

Addison  was  a  statesman  as  well  as  an  essay- 
ist. He  held  several  public  offices,  and  finally 
became  Secretary  of  State.    Through  all  his  pub- 


lie  life  he  kept  himself  remarkably  free  from  the 
besetting  sins  of  politicians.  "Faction  itself 
could  not  deny  that  ...  his  integrity  was 
without  stain;  that  his  whole  deportment  indi- 
cated a  fine  sense  of  the  becoming;  that  in  the 
utmost  heat  of  controversy  his  zeal  was  tempered 
by  a  regard  for  truth,  humanity,  and  social  de- 
corum; that  no  outrage  could  ever  provoke  him 
to  retaliation  unworthy  of  a  Christian  and  a 
gentleman/' 

His  death  was  as  serene  as  his  life  had  been. 
As  the  end  was  approaching,  he  sent  for  his  son- 
in-law,  the  Earl  of  Warwick.  When  that  noble- 
man came  to  his  bedside,  Addison  said  to  him, 
"See  in  what  peace  a  Christian  can  die !" 

Hymnody  is  enriched  by  the  contributions  of 
William  Cowper.  The  story  of  the  poet  is  a  sad 
one.  During  the  greater  part  of  his  life  he  was 
subject  to  attacks  of  melancholia  and  insanity. 
He  was  painfully  timid,  and  had  a  great  desire  to 
be  alone.  This,  with  his  love  for  nature,  led  him 
to  secluded  spots  for  prayer  and  meditation. 
Soon  after  his  conversion  he  wrote : 

"Far  from  the  world,  O  Lord,  I  flee, 
From  strife  and  tumult  far; 
From  scenes  where  Satan  wages  still 
His  most  successful  war. 


102  %mn  3Frat0ur*3. 

The  calm  retreat,  the  silent  shade, 

With  prayer  and  praise  agree, 
And  seem  by  Thy  sweet  bounty  made 

For  those  who  follow  Thee." 

It  is  said  that  William  Wilberforce,  the  Eng- 
lish Abolitionist,  repeated  this  hymn  every  morn- 
ing while  he  was  contesting  the  election  of  York. 
A  politician  who  is  actuated  by  that  spirit  is 
reasonably  safe  from  worldly  ambition.  Cowper 
wrote  the  tender  hymn : 

"Jesus,  where'er  Thy  people  meet, 
There  they  behold  Thy  mercy-seat; 
Where'er  they  seek  Thee,  Thou  art  found, 
And  every  place  is  hallowed  ground. 

For  Thou,  within  no  wall  confined, 
Dost  dwell  with  those  of  humble  mind; 
Such  ever  bring  Thee  when  they  come, 
And,  going,  take  Thee  to  their  home." 

Although  very  devout,  it  was  his  misfortune 
to  dwell  in  continual  gloom.    He  wrote 

"O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God!" 

and  went  on  to  lament  his  own  backslidings  and 
the  consequent  withdrawal  of  the  Spirit.  Yet  his 
intimate  friend,  John  Newton,  said  of  him,  "No 
one  ever  walked  closer  to  God  than  Cowper/' 


ISjgmttB  in  fllttmttur*.  103 

Sometimes  the  cloud  lifted,  and  his  mind  had  a 
season  of  "clear  shining."  Then  he  sang  more 
hopefully.  It  is  he  who  gave  the  Church  that 
hymn  on  the  atonement, 

"There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood." 

This  is  one  of  the  great  hymns  of  the  Church. 
The  third  stanza  is  an  inspiring  expression  of 
faith  in  "the  eternal  redemption." 

"Thou  dying  Lamb !  Thy  precious  blood 

Shall  never  lose  its  power, 
Till  all  the  ransomed  Church  of  God 
Are  saved,  to  sin  no  more." 

In  1870  Mr.  Ira  Sankey  sang  this  hymn  while 
leading  the  singing  at  a  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  meeting  in  Indianapolis.  Mr.  Moody 
was  in  the  audience,  and  was  attracted  to  the 
singer.  This  led  to  their  association  in  evangel- 
istic work. 

Tradition  says  that  once,  in  a  fit  of  insanity, 
Cowper  tried  to  commit  suicide,  but  was  pre- 
vented. Afterwards  he  regarded  the  deliverance 
as  providential,  and  wrote : 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 

His  wonders  to  perform ; 
He  plants  His  footsteps  in  the  sea, 
And  rides  upon  the  storm. 


104  ijyum  <&r?nBKtt&. 

Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take : 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 
Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 

In  blessings  on  your  head." 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  hymns  there  is  on 
God's  providence.  Montgomery  says  it  is  "a 
lyric  of  high  tone  and  character,  and  rendered 
awfully  interesting  by  the  circumstances  under 
which  it  was  written,  in  the  twilight  of  depart- 
ing reason." 

Long  after  Cowper's  death,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Barrett  Browning  visited  his  grave,  and  wrote 
a  poem  to  his  memory.  In  it  she  pays  a  high 
tribute  to  the  poet's  usefulness  in  spite  of  his 
terrible  affliction.    Here  is  a  stanza : 

"O  poets !  from  a  maniac's  tongue 

Was  poured  the  deathless  singing. 
O  Christians !  at  your  cross  of  hope 

A  hopeless  hand  was  clinging; 
O  men !  this  man  in  brotherhood 

Your  weary  paths  beguiling, 
Groaned  inly  while  he  taught  you  peace, 

And  died  while  you  were  smiling." 

John  Keble  was  more  a  sacred  poet  than  a 
hymn-writer.  His  great  work,  "The  Christian 
Year,"  passed  through  ninety-six  editions  during 
his  lifetime.  Yet  he  was  so  modest  that  he  had 
not  wanted  it  published  until  after  his  death,  and 
only  consented  to  have  it  otherwise  on  condition 


ISjymna  in  IGUrratur*.  105 

that  it  should  be  published  anonymously.  From 
this  book  most  of  his  hymns  are  taken.  His 
evening  hymn, 

"Sun  of  my  soul,  Thou  Savior  dear/' 

is  perhaps  the  best  known,  but  its  companion- 
piece  for  morning  use  is  equally  fine.    It  begins : 

"New  every  morning  is  the  love 
Our  wakening  and  uprising  prove ; 
Through  sleep  and  darkness  safely  brought, 
Restored  to  life,  and  power,  and  thought." 

The  author  was  a  humble  parish  rector.  He 
did  not  desire  any  higher  position.  But  he  was 
an  ideal  pastor.  Some  one  has  said  of  his  work, 
"His  was  truly  a  ministry  of  consolation  and 
cheering."  He  had  consideration  for  all  the 
special  circumstances  of  each  person  under  his 
charge.  Among  his  special  cases  was  a  deaf  and 
dumb  cripple  who  could  read  the  motions  of 
Keble's  lips.  Therefore  Keble  visited  him  often, 
talked  with  him  long,  and  prepared  examples  for 
him  to  do  during  his  absence.  Keble  visited  the 
almshouse,  and  made  friends  with  the  old  men 
who  lived  there.  He  persuaded  them  to  attend 
the  services  and  sit  on  the  front  benches.  Then, 
during  the  second  lesson,  he  addressed  them  es- 
pecially, reading  the  passage  slowly  and  with 
pauses,  so  they  could  understand. 


106  ISjjjmtt  QttnBUttB. 

Thus  he  himself  trod  "the  daily  round"  and 
performed  "the  common  task."  That  there  were 
both  "treasures"  and  "sacrifices"  in  such  a  life 
no  one  can  doubt.  But  for  his  book  his  name 
would  probably  have  been  unknown  to  posterity. 

In  "Ivanhoe,"  Sir  Walter  Scott  puts  an  orig- 
inal hymn  into  the  mouth  of  Rebecca  the  Jewess. 
In  her  prison  chamber,  the  evening  after  her  trial, 
she  sings : 

"When  Israel,  of  the  Lord  beloved, 

Out  from  the  land  of  bondage  came, 
Her  father's  God  before  her  moved, 
An  awful  guide  in  smoke  and  flame." 

The  prayer  contained  in  the  last  two  stanzas 
is  not  unworthy  of  Christian  utterance : 

"Thus  present  still,  though  now  unseen, 

When  brightly  shines  the  prosperous  day, 
Be  thoughts  of  Thee  a  cloudy  screen, 
To  temper  the  deceitful  ray. 

And  O,  when  gathers  on  our  path, 
In  shade  and  storm,  the  frequent  night, 

Be  Thou,  long  suffering,  slow  to  wrath, 
A  burning  and  a  shining  light  I" 

In  the  "Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,"  the  poet 
has  introduced  a  brief  but  beautiful  translation  of 
the  "Dies  Irse."  The  monks  chant  it  as  a  mass 
for  the  dead.  Lockhart,  Scott's  son-in-law,  says 
that  the  poet  made  it  his  own  dying  prayer.    In 


that  hour  he  could  find  no  better  words  to  ex- 
press his  longings  than 

"Be  Thou,  O  Christ,  the  sinner's  stay, 
Though  heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away  Vs 

After  his  death,  Mrs.  Felicia  Hemans  wrote 
a  poem  for  his  funeral.  At  the  close  of  the  poem 
occurs  a  hymn  which  several  Churches  have 
added  to  their  hymn-books.  The  poem  speaks  of 
human  honor  and  pride;  the  hymn  confesses 
human  weakness  and  dependence : 

"Lowly  and  solemn  be 
Thy  children's  cry  to  Thee, 

Father  Divine ! 
A  hymn  of  suppliant  breath, 
Owning  that  life  and  death 

Alike  are  Thine." 

She  wrote  several  other  hymns  and  most  of 
them  contain  a  minor  strain.  The  author  had 
evidently  suffered,  but  as  Rossetti  says,  "It  was 
suffering  without  abjection."  She  died  while  yet 
in  her  prime,  and  her  friends  took  the  following 
lines  from  her  writings  and  placed  them  on  her 
tombstone : 

"Calm  on  the  bosom  of  thy  God, 

Fair  spirit,  rest  thee  now ! 
E'en  while  with  us  thy  footsteps  trod, 
His  seal  was  on  thy  brow. 


108  Sjjjmn  fStmBUttB. 

Dust,  to  its  narrow  house  beneath ! 

Soul,  to  its  place  on  high ! 
They  who  have  seen  thy  look  in  death, 

No  more  may  fear  to  die." 

They  are  an  eloquent  tribute  to  the  beauty  of 
her  life. 

Thomas  Moore's  contributions  may  well  be 
called  "Hymns  of  Comfort/'  It  is  he  who  tells 
us  that 

"Earth  has  no  sorrow  that  Heaven  can  not  heal." 

His  hymns  are  the  works  of  a  true  poet,  and 
are  filled  with  beautiful  similes.  Here  are  two 
from  one  of  his  hymns : 

"But  Thou  wilt  heal  that  broken  heart, 

Which,  like  the  plants  that  throw 
Their  fragrance  from  the  wounded  part, 

Breathes  sweetness  out  of  woe. 
Then  sorrow,  touched  by  Thee,  grows  bright 

With  more  than  rapture's  ray; 
As  darkness  shows  us  worlds  of  light 

We  never  saw  by  day." 

Tennyson's  hymn,  "Late,  late,  so  late,"  is  a 
part  of  his  poem,  "Guinevere"  in  the  "Idylls  of 
the  King."  The  fallen  queen  had  left  King  Ar- 
thur's court  and  was  hiding  in  the  convent  at 
Almesbury.  Her  attendant,  a  novice  in  the  con- 
vent, was  singing  snatches  of  a  song  one  day, 


a  in  fcxttmtntt.  109 

"Which  when  she  heard,  the  queen  looked  up,  and  said, 
'O  maiden,  if  indeed  ye  list  to  sing, 
Sing,  and  unbind  my  heart  that  I  may  weep/ 
Whereat  full  willingly  sang  the  little  maid : 
'Late,  late,  so  late!  and  daik  the  night,  and  chill1 
Late,  late,  so  late !  but  we  can  enter  still. 
Too  late,  too  late!  ye  can  not  enter  now.    .    .    . 
Have  we  not  heard  the  Bridegroom  is  so  sweet  ? 
O  let  us  in,  tho'  late,  to  kiss  His  feet! 
No,  no,  too  late,  ye  can  not  enter  now !' 
So  sang  the  novice  while  full  passionately, 
Her  head  upon  her  hands,  remembering 
Her  thought  when  first  she  came,  wept  the  sad  queen. 
Then  said  the  little  novice  prattling  to  her, 
'O,  pray  you,  noble  lady,  weep  no  more ; 
But  let  my  words,  the  words  of  one  so  small,    .    .    . 
Comfort  your  sorrows.' " 

James  Montgomery  excels  all  other  lay 
hymn-writers  in  the  number  of  his  compositions. 
Of  their  quality,  Dr.  Julian  says :  "With  the 
faith  of  a  strong  man  he  united  the  beauty  and 
sympathy  of  a  child;  richly  poetic  without  exu- 
berance, dogmatic  without  uncharitableness,  ten- 
der without  sentimentality,  elaborate  without 
diffuseness,  richly  musical."  For  proof  of  such 
a  strong  statement  read  his  version  of  the  sev- 
enty-second psalm : 

"Hail,  to  the  Lord's  Anointed, 
Great  David's  greater  Son ! 
Hail,  in  the  time  appointed 
His  reign  on  earth  begun !" 


no  iSjgmtt  GFmgtsrM. 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  version  with 
the  original.  Montgomery  did  not  try  to  follow 
the  language.  He  simply  made  the  thought  of 
the  Psalm  the  inspiration  of  his  hymn.  Yet  in 
several  places  the  language  is  similar.  For  in- 
stance, David  says,  in  speaking  of  the  Messiah's 
rule:  "He  shall  judge  the  poor  of  the  people, 
He  shall  save  the  children  of  the  needy,  and  shall 
break  in  pieces  the  oppressor." 

Montgomery  sings : 

"He  comes  to  break  oppression, 

To  set  the  captive  free ; 
To  take  away  transgression, 
And  rule  in  equity." 

Again  David  says  of  the  needy,  "Precious 
shall  their  blood  be  in  His  sight."  Montgomery 
enumerates  the  blessings  the  Messiah  brings  to 
those 

"Whose  souls,  condemned  and  dying, 
Were  precious  in  His  sight" 

Of  the  length  of  the  Messiah's  reign  the 
psalmist  says,  "Prayer  also  shall  be  made  for 
Him  continually;  and  daily  shall  He  be  praised. 
His  name  shall  endure  forever;  .  .  .  His 
name  shall  be  continued  as  long  as  the  sun ;  and 
men  shall  be  blessed  in  Him ;  all  nations  shall  call 
Him  blessed."  The  hymn  closes  with  the  tri- 
umphant strains: 


ifgtnna  in  Utfcntiur*.  in 

"To  Him  shall  prayer  unceasing, 

And  daily  vows  ascend ; 
His  kingdom  still  increasing, 

A  kingdom  without  end : 
The  tide  of  time  shall  never 

His  covenant  remove; 
His  name  shall  stand  forever : 

That  name  to  us  is  Love." 

Montgomery  wrote  another  hymn  which 
might  be  a  companion  to  this.  He  called  it, 
"Hallelujah."    It  begins: 

"Hark!  the  song  of  jubilee; 

Loud  as  mighty  thunders  roar." 

If  the  other  hymn  announced  Christ's  com- 
ing, this  one  proclaims  His  final  triumph : 

"See  Jehovah's  banner  furled, 

Sheathed  His  sword :  He  speaks — 't  is  done — 
And  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
Are  the  kingdoms  of  His  Son. 

He  shall  reign  from  pole  to  pole 

With  illimita'ble  sway; 
He  shall  reign,  when,  like  a  scroll, 

Yonder  heavens  have  passed  away: 

Then  the  end ; — beneath  His  rod 

Man's  last  enemy  shall  fall; 
Hallelujah!  Christ  in  God, 

God  in  Christ,  is  all  in  all." 


ii2  iijgmtt  Sfoaattraeu 

Montgomery  was  an  editor  by  profession. 
Twice  he  was  imprisoned  for  publishing  what 
was  then  considered  libelous  matter.  During 
one  of  his  terms  he  had  for  a  fellow  prisoner  a 
certain  Joseph  Browne.  Later,  when  Browne 
died,  Montgomery  wrote  a  funeral  hymn  which 
he  dedicated  in  these  words,  "Verses  to  the  mem- 
ory of  the  late  Joseph  Browne,  of  Lothersdale. 
one  of  the  people  called  Quakers,  who  had  suf- 
fered a  long  confinement  in  the  Castle  of  York, 
and  loss  of  all  his  worldly  goods  for  conscience' 
sake. 

The  thought  of  the  hymn  is  similar  to  Pope's 
"Ode."  There  is  nothing  gloomy  about  it.  It 
pictures  death  as  release  after  imprisonment.  It 
begins : 

"Spirit,  leave  thy  house  of  clay; 
Lingering  dust,  resign  thy  breath ! 
Spirit,  cast  thy  chains  away; 
Dust,  be  thou  dissolved  in  death !" 

To  those  accustomed  to  regard  the  grave  only 
as  "breathless  darkness"  and  "the  narrow  house," 
the  language  of  the  last  stanza  is  a  revelation  : 

"Grave,  the  guardian  of  our  dust, 
Grave,  the  treasury  of  the  skies, 
Every  atom  of  thy  trust 
Rests  in  hope  again  to  rise: 


i^ymttB  in  iCtteralur*.  113 

Hark!  the  judgment-trumpet  calls, 
'Soul,  rebuild  thy  house  of  clay: 

Immortality  thy  walls; 
And  eternity  thy  day !'  " 

Not  all  Montgomery's  hymns  are  as  stately 
as  these,  yet  each  has  a  beauty  of  its  own.  He 
wrote  a  hymn  on  Christ  as  our  example.  It  be- 
gins, 

"Go  to  dark  Gethsemane, 

Ye  that  feel  the  tempter's  power." 

In  another  hymn  he  contrasts  the  awfulness 
of  Sinai,  the  sublimity  of  Tabor,  and  the  loveli- 
nes«  of  Calvary.    It  begins, 

"When  on  Sinai's  top  I  see 
God  descend,  in  majesty." 

As  one  reads  his  hymn  on  the  "Christian  War- 
rior/' he  instinctively  feels  that  a  Christian  who 
measured  up  to  that  standard  would  be  perfect 
indeed.    Yet  the  author  says  he 

"Wins  at  length, 
Through  mercy,  an  immortal  crown." 

It  is  Montgomery  who  invites  angels  and 
men  to 

"Come  and  worship, 
Worship  Christ,  the  new-born  King." 
8 


ii4  Sjgmn  QttumvtB. 

Thus  he  often  puts  new  life  into  the  Old 
Story,  and  draws  fresh  lessons  from  familiar 
truths.  His  hymns,  for  the  most  part,  are  very 
original.  His  ideas  and  conceptions  of  religious 
teachings  are  distinctly  his  own.  This  fact,  with 
the  beauty  of  his  style,  has  given  him  a  high  place 
among  hymn- writers. 

His  literary  work  was  not  confined  to  hymns. 
He  wrote  several  poetical  works,  among  them  a 
volume  called  "Prison  Amusements.,,  Not  long 
before  he  died,  a  friend  asked  him  which  of  his 
poems  would  live.  Montgomery  gave  the  almost 
prophetic  reply,  "None,  sir;  nothing,  except 
perhaps  a  few  of  my  hymns. "  He  wrote  four 
hundred  psalms  and  hymns,  and  one  hundred 
are  in  common  use. 

The  American  poets  are  represented  by  sev- 
eral worthy  hymns. 

William  Cullen  Bryant  was  the  most  prolific. 
He  wrote  hymns  for  different  collections  and  for 
special  occasions.  Many  of  them  seem  to  have 
been  written  for  the  unfortunate  of  various 
classes. 

To  the  sorrowing  he  says : 

"There  is  a  day  of  sunny  rest 

For  every  dark  and  troubled  night ; 
And  grief  may  bide  an  evening  guest, 
But  joy  shall  come  with  early  light" 


Jjgttwfl  in  Ktteratum  115 

For  the  drunkard  he  prays  to  God : 

"Send  down,  in  its  resistless  might, 
Thy  gracious  Spirit,  we  implore, 
And  lead  the  captive  forth  to  light, 
A  rescued  soul,  a  slave  no  more l" 

For  the  sinning  of  every  class  he  offers  this  pe- 
tition : 

"Look  down  in  pity,  Lord,  we  pray, 

On  eyes  oppressed  by  moral  night, 
And  touch  the  darkened  lids,  and  say 
The  gracious  words,  'Receive  thy  sight/  " 

In  the  following  lines  he  voices  the  ambition 
of  every  true  philanthropist: 

"Till,  taught  by  Him  who  for  our  sake 

Bore  every  form  of  life's  distress, 
With  every  passing  year  we  make 
The  sum  of  human  sorrow  less." 

Whittier  distinctly  disclaims  the  title  of  hymn- 
writer.  He  says:  "I  am  really  not  a  hymn- 
writer,  for  the  very  good  reason  that  I  know 
nothing  about  music.  Only  a  very  few  of  my 
hymns  were  written  for  singing.  A  good  hymn 
is  the  best  use  to  which  poetry  can  be  devoted, 
but  I  do  not  claim  to  ever  having  succeeded  in 
composing  one." 

Yet  from  his  poem,  "Our  Master,"  the 
Church  has  taken  five  exquisite  stanzas,  and  uses 


n6  Ijgmn  QtmBUXtz. 

them  as  a  hymn.    The  poet  and  disciple  are  both 
revealed  in  the  lines: 

"But  warm,  sweet,  tender,  even  yet 

A  present  help  is  He ; 
And  faith  has  yet  its  Olivet, 
And  love  its  Galilee." 

Another  very  useful  hymn  has  been  taken 
from  his  poem,  "Seedtime  and  Harvest."  The 
hymn  begins, 

"It  may  not  be  our  lot  to  wield 
The  sickle  in  the  ripened  field; 
Nor  ours  to  hear,  on  summer  eves, 
The  reaper's  song  among  the  sheaves." 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  gave  the  Church : 


and, 


"Lord  of  all  being !  throned  afar, 
Thy  glory  flames  from  sun  and  star;" 


"O  Love  Divine,  that  stooped  to  share 
Our  sharpest  pang,  our  bitterest  tear !" 


The  first  glories  in  God's  majesty,  the  second 
confides  in  His  mercy.  They  are  both  poetical 
treasures. 

Some  authors  have  introduced  existing  hymns 
into  their  books  with  great  effect.  Dr.  Horder 
says  that  the  "Dies  Irae"  and  "Stabat  Mater" 


iSjgmnsi  in  Ktteraiur*.  117 

have  made  a  greater  impression  on  both  literature 
and  music  than  any  other  hymns.  Besides  the 
instance  already  cited,  the  "Dies  lrae"  is  intro- 
duced into  Goethe's  "Faust."  The  heroine  is  so 
moved  by  hearing  the  great  judgment  hymn 
chanted  that  she  is  overcome,  and  ever  after- 
wards is  a  changed  woman. 

Harriet  Beecher  Stowe,  in  "Uncle  Tom's 
Cabin,"  represents  St.  Clair  as  singing  strains 
from  this  same  hymn  on  the  night  of  his  death. 

"All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell,"  is  re- 
ferred to  in  one  of  Shakespeare's  plays. 

Many  other  instances  might  be  cited  if  space 
permitted.  Hymns  occupy  a  very  important 
place  in  general  literature. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
Mnttmt  %mtt~Wrifrrc. 

The:  first  woman  hymn-writer  appeared  dur- 
ing the  Protestant  Reformation.  She  was  Louisa 
Henrietta,  wife  of  the  Great  Elector,  Frederick 
William,  of  Brandenburg.  Her  hymn  is  on  the 
"Resurrection  of  the  Just."  For  strength  of 
faith  it  is  worthy  to  be  compared  to  Luther's 
hymns.    Here  are  selections : 

"Jesus,  my  eternal  Trust 

And  my  Savior,  ever  liveth : 
This  I  know;  and  deep  and  just 

Is  the  peace  this  knowledge  giveth : 
Though  death's  lingering  night  may  start 
Many  a  question  in  my  heart. 

What  is  weak  and  maimed  below, 
There  shall  be  made  strong  and  free : 

Earthly  is  the  seed  we  sow 
Heavenly  shall  the  harvest  be : 

Nature  here  and  sin ;  but  there 

Spiritual  all,  and  fair. 

Only  raise  your  souls  above 
Pleasures  in  which  earth  delighteth; 

Give  your  souls  to  Him  in  love, 
To  whom  death  so  soon  uniteth ; 
118 


Unttum  2jymn-3Srtt*r0.  119 

Thither  oft  in  spirit  flee 
Where  ye  would  forever  be." 

Since  the  Reformation  women  have  held  an 
honored  place  among  hymn-writers.  It  was  a 
woman  who  wrote  "Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee," 
one  of  the  most  popular  hymns  in  the  English 
language.  According  to  an  eminent  authority, 
women  write  the  best  children's  hymns.  At  the 
dawn  of  the  twentieth  century  the  greatest  living 
hymn-writer  was  a  woman. 

Many  women  found  the  inspiration  of  their 
hymns  in  misfortune  and  affliction.  This  was 
true  of  Madam  Guyon,  a  French  mystic,  who 
lived  in  the  last  half  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury. Her  life  was  filled  with  trial.  She  was 
married  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  and  left  a 
widow  at  twenty-eight.  Her  child  died  at 
an  early  age;  her  mother-in-law  rendered  her 
life  miserable;  and  smallpox  robbed  her  of  her 
beauty  when  she  was  only  twenty-two  years  old. 
Amid  all  these  misfortunes  her  religion  was  her 
only  consolation.  She  wrote  :  "In  losing  all  the 
gifts,  with  their  supports,  I  found  the  Giver." 
A  Franciscan  monk  told  her  to  seek  God  in  her 
heart.  She  did  so,  and  was  rewarded  by  a 
bright  experience.  She  says  of  her  conversion : 
"I  was  on  a  sudden  so  altered  that  I  was  hardly 
to  be  known,  either  by  myself  or  others.     .     .     . 


120  iSjgmn  ©rraaurea. 

Nothing  is  more  easy  to  me  now  than  the  practice 
of  prayer."  Her  religious  life  was  rich  and  full, 
but  beset  by  persecution.  She  was  accused  of 
heresy  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  was 
consequently  banished  to  Gex,  near  Geneva. 
There  she  occupied  herself  with  writing,  and 
with  works  of  mercy.  Although  exiled  by  the 
Church  she  was  not  banished  from  God's  pres- 
ence.   She  wrote : 

"My  Lord,  how  full  of  sweet  content 
I  pass  my  years  of  banishment ! 
Where'er  I  dwell,  I  dwell  with  Thee, 
In  heaven,  in  earth,  or  on  the  sea.    .    •    • 

I  can  be  calm  and  free  from  care 

On  any  shore,  since  God  is  there.    .    .    . 

Could  I  be  cast  where  Thou  art  not, 
That  were  indeed  a  dreadful  lot ; 
But  regions  none  remote  I  call, 
Secure  of  finding  God  in  all." 

Afterwards  she  was  imprisoned  in  the  Bastile. 
But  there  God  was  still  her  comfort,  and  she 
sang: 

"Nor  castle  walls,  nor  dungeons  deep, 

Exclude  his  quickening  beams ; 

There  I  can  sit,  and  sing,  and  weep, 

And  dwell  on  heavenly  themes." 

It  was  a  happy  fulfillment  of  Christ's  prom- 
ise, "I  am  with  you  alway."     Before  her  death, 


Unmftt  %mn-fflritar0.  121 

Madam  Guyon  was  restored  to  favor  in  the 
Church. 

"Give  me  a  calm,  a  thankful  heart, 
From  every  murmur  free," 

was  the  prayer  of  a  broken  heart.  Miss  Anna 
Steele,  the  author,  was  crippled  in  childhood  by 
a  serious  accident.  In  early  womanhood  she  was 
engaged  to  be  married  to  a  young  man  of  unusual 
promise.  The  wedding  day  came,  and  with  it 
the  news  that  her  lover  had  been  drowned.  Miss 
Steele  never  fully  recovered  from  the  shock. 
But  she  was  not  selfish  in  her  grief.  She  prayed, — 

"Thou  Refuge  of  my  soul, 

On  Thee,  when  sorrows  rise, 
On  Thee,  when  waves  of  trouble  roll, 
My  fainting  hope  relies. 

To  Thee  I  tell  my  grief, 

For  Thou  alone  canst  heal; 
Thy  word  can  bring  a  sweet  relief 

For  every  pain  I  feel.'' 

She  made  herself  a  ministering  spirit,  and  de- 
voted herself  to  works  of  love  and  mercy.  She 
wrote  a  Life  of  her  father,  and  gave  all  the 
profits  to  Church  philanthropies.  She  published 
two  volumes  of  hymns,  and  a  third  was  issued 
after  her  death.  Many  of  these  hymns  have  a 
more  cheerful  strain  than  the  ones  already 
quoted. 


122  iSfgrnn  QlratfiitrwL 

Her  morning  hymn  begins : 

"Lord  of  my  life,  O  may  Thy  praise 

Employ  my  noblest  powers, 
Whose  goodness  lengthens  out  my  days, 
And  fills  the  circling  hours  I" 

Her  life  was  not  embittered,  but  rather  sanc- 
tified, by  her  sorrow. 

"Plain  living  and  high  thinking"  was  evi- 
dently the  rule  of  Mary  Pyper's  life,  for  she  was 
both  a  seamstress  and  a  hymn-writer.  While 
about  her  work,  her  thoughts  dwelt  on  the  bliss 
of  the  future  life.  She  gloried  in  the  fact  that 
we  should  see  the  Redeemer,  not  as  in  the  days 
of  His  humiliation,  but  exalted  to  be  King  of 
kings ! — 

"  We  shall  see  Him'  in  our  nature, 

Seated  on  His  lofty  throne, 
Loved,  adored,  by  every  creature, 

Owned  as  God,  and  God  alone! 
There  to  cast  our  crowns  before  Him, — 

O  what  peace  the  thought  affords ! 
There  forever  to  adore  Him, 

King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords." 

Another  humble  woman  who  had  the  gift  of 
song  was  Mrs.  Phebe  Hinsdale  Browne.  She 
was  the  wife  of  a  poor  house-painter.  Her 
house  was  very  small  and  afforded  no  quiet  place 
for  her  devotions.  Therefore  she  was  in  the 
habit  of  taking  a  quiet  walk  near  her  house  each 


Wamtn  Sfjjmn-Wrttm.  123 

evening.  A  rich  neighbor  misinterpreted  the  pur- 
pose of  these  walks,  and  said  rather  sharply  to 
Mrs.  Browne :  "Why  do  you  go  back  and  forth 
between  your  house  and  mine  ?  If  you  want  any- 
thing, come  in  and  get  it."  Mrs.  Browne  was 
wounded  by  the  remark.  That  evening  she  wrote 
a  poem  which  she  called  "An  Apology  for  My 
Twilight  Rambles  :  Addressed  to  a  Lady."  From 
that  poem  has  been  taken  the  evening  hymn  be- 
ginning, 

"I  love  to  steal  awhile  away 

From  every  cumbering  care, 
And  spend  the  hours  of  setting  day 
In  humble,  grateful  prayer." 

In  the  course  of  his  travels,  Dr.  Caesar  Malan 
visited  the  home  of  Charlotte  Elliott.  A  warm 
friendship  sprang  up  between  them,  and  he  tried 
to  help  her  in  her  religious  life.  One  day  he 
said  to  her,  "Come  to  God  just  as  you  are."  She 
took  his  advice,  and  not  long  afterward  wrote: 

"Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea, 
But  that  Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
And  that  Thou  bidd'st  me  come  to  Thee, 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come !" 

Her  brother,  who  became  an  eminent  min- 
ister, said  of  this  hymn :  "In  the  course  of  a  long 
ministry,  I  hope  I  have  been  permitted  to  see 
some  fruit  of  my  labors  but  I  feel  that  far  more 


124  Sjgmn  SforanttM. 

good  has  been  done  by  a  single  hymn  of  my  sis- 
ter's." 

Miss  Elliott  was  an  invalid.  One  day,  when 
her  physician  called  to  see  her,  he  showed  her  a 
copy  of  this  hymn,  and  told  her  that  it  had  been 
a  great  help  to  him.  Miss  Elliott  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  telling  him  that  she  was  its  author.  Miss 
Elliott  struggled  heroically  against  the  despond- 
ency and  inertia  incident  to  her  poor  health. 
Here  is  her  own  confession :  "He  knows,  and  He 
alone,  what  it  is,  day  after  day,  hour  after  hour, 
to  fight  against  bodily  feelings  of  almost  over- 
powering weakness,  languor,  and  exhaustion;  to 
resolve  not  to  yield  to  slothfulness,  depression, 
and  instability,  such  as  the  body  causes  me  to 
long  to  indulge;  but  rise  each  morning  deter- 
mined to  take  for  my  motto,  'If  any  man  will 
come  after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up 
his  cross  daily,  and  follow  Me/  "  The  secret  of 
her  strength  may  be  revealed  in  the  following 
hymn: 

"My  God,  is  any  hour  so  sweet, 

From  blush  of  morn  to  evening  star, 
As  that  which  calls  me  to  Thy  feet, — 
The  hour  of  prayer? 

Then  is  my  strength  by  Thee  renewed ; 
Then  are  my  sins  by  Thee  forgiven ; 
Then  dost  Thou  cheer  my  solitude 
With  hopes  of  heaven. 


Unttum  iljyttut-JBrttrrH.  125 

Lord,  till  I  reach  that  blissful  shore, 

No  privilege  so  dear  shall  be, 
As  thus  my  inmost  soul  to  pour 
In  prayer  to  Thee." 

Another  of  her  hymns  should  be  mentioned, 
namely : 

"My  God,  my  Father,  while  I  stray 
Far  from  my  home  on  life's  rough  way, 
O  teach  me  from  my  heart  to  say, 
"Thy  will  be  done  V 

Renew  my  will  from  day  to  day ; 
Blend  it  with  Thine,  and  take  away 
All  that  now  makes  it  hard  to  say, 
'Thy  will  be  done !'  " 

This  hymn  was  sung  at  the  funeral  of  the 
Princess  Alice,  by  the  special  request  of  Queen 
Victoria. 

Few  lives  have  been  more  entirely  consecrated 
than  that  of  Frances  Ridley  Havergal.  She 
lived  her  consecration  hymn.  Here  is  the  story 
of  its  origin  in  her  own  words :  "I  went  for  a 
little  visit  of  five  days.  There  were  ten  persons 
in  the  house;  some  were  unconverted  and  long 
prayed  for,  some  converted  but  not  rejoicing 
Christians.  He  gave  me  the  prayer,  'Lord,  give 
me  all  in  this  house/  He  just  did.  Before  I 
left  every  one  had  got  a  blessing.  The  last  night 
of  my  visit  I  was  too  happy  to  sleep,  and  passed 


126  ijgmtt  Ettumtt*. 

most  of  the  night  in  renewal  of  my  consecration, 
and  these  little  couplets  formed  themselves  and 
chimed  in  my  heart  one  after  another  till  they 
finished  with  'Ever,  only,  all  for  Thee.' "  She 
meant  the  hymn  literally.  Her  hands  were  al- 
ways occupied  with  loving  deeds ;  her  feet  were 
constantly  going  about  the  King's  business,  and 
her  voice  never  sang  any  but  sacred  pieces. 

Her  health  was  very  frail,  and  she  was  often 
actually  ill.  This  was  a  great  trial  to  her,  as  she 
always  wanted  to  be  doing  good.  But  at  length 
she  came  to  the  point  where  she  could  say,  "  'Thy 
will  be  done'  is  not  a  sigh  but  a  song." 

She  never  took  any  credit  to  herself  for 
her  hymns.  Of  her  composition  she  wrote:  "I 
can  not  set  myself  to  write  verse.  I  believe  my 
King  suggests  a  thought  and  whispers  me  a 
musical  line  or  two;  then  I  look  up  and  thank 
Him  delightedly,  and  go  on  with  it.  That  is  how 
the  hymns  and  poems  come.  ...  You  say 
F.  R.  H.  could  do  'Satisfied'  grandly!  No,  she 
'could  n't !  Not  unless  He  gave  it  to  me  line  by 
line.  That  is  how  the  verses  come."  Their  "in- 
spired" origin  was  what  gave  her  hymns  their 
power.  It  is  said  that  there  was  a  sacred  power 
in  her  personal  presence. 

The  following  description  is  given  of  her 
death:  "And  now  she  looked  up  steadfastly  as 
if  she  saw  the  Lord;  and  surely  nothing  less 


3§0m*tt  2}gmn-3Hrtt*r0.  127 

heavenly  could  have  reflected  such  a  glorious 
radiance  upon  her  face.  For  ten  minutes  we 
watched  that  almost  visible  meeting  with  her 
King;  and  her  countenance  was  so  glad,  as  if 
she  were  already  talking  to  Him.  She  tried 
to  sing;  but  after  one  sweet  high  note,  'He — / 
her  voice  failed,  and  as  her  brother  commended 
her  soul  into  her  Redeemer's  hand,  she  passed 
away." 

No  one  can  read  Miss  Waring's  hymns  with- 
out recognizing  the  truth  of  the  statement,  that 
"she  wrote  her  heart  into  her  hymns."  She  called 
her  little  book,  "Hymns  and  Meditations."  Her 
hymns  are  meditations.  She  must  have  fed  upon 
the  Scripture,  for  she  says: 

"My  Savior,  on  the  word  of  truth 
In  earnest  hope  I  live; 
I  ask  for  all  the  precious  things 
Thy  boundless  love  can  give." 

One  of  the  things  she  asked  for  was : 

"A  heart  at  leisure  from  itself, 
To  soothe  and  sympathize." 

Her  ambitions  were  simple,  and  her  trust 
childlike : 

"I  would  not  have  the  restless  will 
That  hurries  to  and  fro, 
Seeking  for  some  great  thing  to  do, 
Or  secret  thing  to  know ; 


128  ^gmtt  SlrotBttrra* 

I  would  be  treated  as  a  child, 
And  guided  where  I  go." 

Her  determination  is  expressed  in  the  couplet : 

"He  knows  the  way  He  taketh, 
And  I  will  walk  with  Him." 

To  the  fretful  anxious  heart  the  following 
lines  come  with  great  force : 

"Thou  knowest  that  I  am  not  blest 
As  Thou  wouldst  have  me  be, 
Till  all  the  peace  and  joy  of  faith 
Possess  my  soul  in  Thee." 

Likewise  to  the  proud  and  willful: 

"It  is  not  as  Thou  wilt  with  me 
Till,  humbled  in  the  dust, 
I  know  no  place  in  all  my  heart 
Wherein  to  put  my  trust." 

Phoebe  Cary's  hymn  beginning, 

"One  sweetly  solemn  thought 
Comes  to  me  o'er  and  o'er," 

was  written  one  Sunday  afternoon  after  Church. 
The  author  did  not  spend  so  much  time  on  this  as 
on  some  of  her  other  literary  work,  but  it  is  by 
this  hymn  that  she  will  be  remembered.  It  was 
the  means  of  saving  two  American  men  who 


•Pottum  i^gmn-fflrttar*.  129 

were  in  China,  and  were  spending  their  money 
in  riotous  living.  As  they  were  gambling  and 
drinking  one  day  in  a  public  resort,  the  younger 
man  began  unconsciously  to  hum  a  tune  and 
finally  to  sing : 

"One  sweetly  solemn  thought." 

The  older  man  noticed  it,  and  asked  where  he  had 
learned  it.  The  hymn  awakened  childhood  mem- 
ories in  both  men.  "Come,"  said  the  elder  at 
length ;  "come,  Harry,  here's  what  I  've  won  from 
you.  Go  and  use  it  for  some  good  purpose.  As 
for  me,  as  God  sees  me,  I  have  played  my  last 
game,  and  drunk  my  last  bottle.  I  have  misled 
you,  Harry,  and  I  am  sorry.  Give  me  your  hand, 
my  boy,  and  say  that  for  old  America's  sake,  if 
for  no  other,  you  will  quit  this  infernal  business." 
Eoth  men  forsook  their  evil  life.  Later,  the  elder 
became  a  missionary  in  San  Francisco,  and  la- 
bored there  successfully  for  eight  years.  When 
Miss  Cary  heard  the  story  of  their  reformation, 
she  wrote,  "It  makes  me  happy  to  think  that  any 
word  I  could  say  has  done  a  little  good  in  the 
world." 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Prentiss,  who  wrote  "Step- 
ping Heavenward,"  also  wrote  the  hymn, 

"More  love  to  Thee,  O  Christ." 


130  Sjjpmt  WtmmtvB. 

One  can  not  help  being  impressed  with  the  fer- 
vor of  the  prayer, 

"This  is  my  earnest  plea, 
More  love,  O  Christ,  to  Thee, 
More  love  to  Thee !" 

It  was  written  in  a  time  of  sorrow.  This, 
with  the  fact  that  she  was  an  invalid,  adds  mean- 
ing to  the  words : 

"Once  earthly  joy  I  craved, 

Sought  peace  and  rest ; 
Now  Thee  alone  I  seek, 

Give  what  is  best. 
This  all  my  prayer  shall  be, 
More  love,  O  Christ,  to  Thee, 
More  love  to  Thee." 

That  it  was  a  "heart-song"  is  shown  from  the 
fact  that  she  laid  it  away,  and  did  not  show  it 
to  any  one,  not  even  her  husband,  for  several 
years.  She  wrote  several  other  hymns,  and  they 
all  "are  full  of  Christ." 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Charles  leads  us,  by  her  hymn, 
to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  There,  with  her  aid, 
we  gain  new  conceptions  of  its  relation  to  human 
life.    The  cross  is  the  true  gauge  of  all  values : 

"Here  earth's  precious  things  seem  dross : 
Here  earth's  bitter  things  grow  sweet." 


It  is  the  revelation  of  character,  human  and 
divine : 

"Gazing  thus  our  sin  we  see, 

Learn  Thy  love  while  gazing  thus." 

It  is  the  source  of  all  Christian  graces : 

"Here  we  learn  to  serve  and  give, 
And,  rejoicing,  self  deny; 
Here  we  gather  love  to  live, 
Here  we  gather  faith  to  die." 

It  is  the  compass  of  all  spiritual  longing : 

"Where  our  earliest  hopes  began, 
There  our  last  aspirings  end." 

Above  all,  the  cross  is  the  means  of  perfect 
redemption. 

"Till  amid  the  hosts  of  light, 

We  in  Thee  redeemed,  complete, 
Through  Thy  cross  made  pure  and  white, 
Cast  our  crowns  before  Thy  feet." 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Civil  War,  Mrs. 
Julia  Ward  Howe  viewed  some  of  the  troops 
near  Washington.  As  she  was  returning  she 
began  to  sing  "John  Brown's  Body,"  and  re- 
marked to  a  friend  that  she  had  always  wished 
to  write  words  to  that  tune.  Early  the  next 
morning  she  awoke  with  the  words, 


132  Sfgmtt  Qtmmtt*. 

"Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of  the 
Lord," 

ringing  in  her  mind.  She  arose  quickly,  and 
wrote  the  "Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic."  It 
was  sung  for  the  first  time  by  the  soldiers  of  the 
Massachusetts  regiment  at  Fort  Warren,  Boston 
Harbor,  in  1861.  To  soldiers  the  words  must 
have  been  full  of  meaning. 

"As  He  died  to  make  men  holy,  let  us  die  to  make  men 
free," 

was  not  merely  a  lofty  sentiment,  but  a  high  re- 
solve. The  hymn  was  written  in  war  times  and 
has  a  martial  ring. 

President  William  McKinley  used  the  hymn 
"Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee/'  as  his  dying  prayer, 
and  probably  it  was  never  sung  more  frequently 
than  in  the  weeks  succeeding  his  death.  The 
author,  Sarah  Flower  Adams,  was  the  daughter 
of  an  English  editor.  She  was  a  woman  of  con- 
siderable literary  ability.  She  contributed  hymns 
and  articles  to  various  publications.  This  hymn 
is  her  masterpiece.  Among  her  literary  friends 
was  the  poet,  Robert  Browning.  When  she  was 
troubled  with  doubts  and  fears,  he  would  cheer 
and  help  her  with  his  rugged  faith. 

Elizabeth  Clephane,  a  humble  Scotch  woman, 
wrote  a  poem  on  the  Parable  of  the  Lost  Sheep. 


Ufattmt  Sjgttm-WrtterflL  133 

It  was  published  in  a  newspaper.  Mr.  Sankey, 
who  was  traveling  in  that  part  of  the  world,  saw 
it,  and  was  impressed  by  its  beauty  and  pathos. 
He  told  Mr.  Moody  that  he  had  found  the  piece 
for  which  he  had  been  looking.  A  few  nights 
later,  in  Free  Assembly  Hall,  Edinburgh,  Mr. 
Moody  preached  on  the  Good  Shepherd,  and,  at 
the  close  of  the  sermon,  asked  Mr.  Sankey  if  he 
had  anything  to  sing.  Mr.  Sankey  hesitated,  and 
then  sang  "The  Ninety  and  Nine,"  improvising 
the  tune  as  he  sang.  When  he  finished,  the  au- 
dience were  in  tears.  Thus  the  evangelist  gave 
wings  to  the  words  of  the  poor  woman,  and  made 
them  one  of  the  chief  gospel  hymns  of  the  period. 
Mary  A.  Lathbury  was  the  lyrist  of  Chau- 
tauqua.   She  wrote  the  vesper  hymn, 

"Day  is  dying  in  the  west," 

at  the  request  of  Bishop  Vincent,  and  for  the 
use  of  the  Chautauqua  Circles.     She  also  wrote, 

"Break  Thou  the  bread  of  life, 
Dear  Lord,  to  me," 

which  she  balled  a  "study  song,"  and  many  other 
beautiful  hymns  for  special  use. 

Mr.  Sankey  has  said  that  Fanny  Crosby's 
hymns  are  sung  more  to-day  than  those  of  any 
other  living  writer.   Their  use  is  not  confined  to 


134  Sjgttm  Gteaaurea. 

America  and  England.  Many  of  them  have  been 
translated  into  foreign  languages,  and  are  sung 
in  the  Protestant  Mission  Stations  all  around  the 
world.  Among  the  first  hymns  translated  into 
Japanese  was  "Blessed  assurance,  Jesus  is  mine." 

Her  hymns  are  so  full  of  joy  and  hope,  that  it 
is  hard  to  believe  that  their  author  has  been  blind 
nearly  all  her  life.  She  does  not  regard  the  af- 
fliction as  a  calamity  but  rather  as  a  blessing.  In 
her  autobiography  she  says :  "It  seemed  intended 
by  the  blessed  Providence  of  God,  that  I  should 
be  blind  all  my  life ;  and  I  thank  Him  for  the  dis- 
pensation. ...  I  verily  believe  it  was  His 
intention  that  I  should  live  my  days  in  physical 
darkness,  so  as  to  be  better  prepared  to  sing  His 
praises  and  incite  others  so  to  do." 

Her  blindness  gives  a  touch  of  pathos  to  her 
most  jubilant  strains.    For  instance: 

"O,  the  soul-thrilling  rapture, 

When  I  view  His  blessed  face  V 
and, 

"I  shall  see  Him  face  to  face." 

Her  spiritual  sight  is  good,  for  she  says : 

"Visions  of  rapture  now  burst  on  my  sight !" 
and, 

"He  hideth  my  soul  in  the  cleft  of  the  rock, 
Where  rivers  of  pleasures  I  see." 


Wtmttn  fjgmn-KIntarsu  135 

Her  heart  and  mind  were  filled  with  songs, 
which  constantly  overflowed  to  bless  the  world. 
One  day  the  musical  composer,  Mr.  W.  H. 
Doane,  called  and  asked  her  to  write  words  for 
a  certain  tune.  He  said  that  he  must  take  a  train 
in  forty  minutes,  and  he  wished  the  words  before 
he  left.  She  consented  to  his  request,  and,  within 
the  specified  time,  wrote  the  hymn, 

"Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus, 
Safe  on  His  gentle  breast." 

A  few  years  ago  she  was  in  a  meeting  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Moody.  After  several  had  testi- 
fied, he  asked  her  if  she  had  anything  to  say. 
She  arose  and  said  that,  some  time  before,  she 
had  written  a  hymn  which  had  never  been  pub- 
lished, or  given  to  the  publisher.  She  regarded 
it  as  her  hymn,  and  she  would  now  give  it  as  her 
testimony.  Then  she  repeated  the  hymn  begin- 
ning, 

"Some  day  the  silver  chord  will  break, 
And  I  no  more,  as  now,  shall  sing; 
But  O,  the  joy,  when  I  awake 
Within  the  palace  of  the  King !" 

The  hymn  soon  became  very  popular,  and 
was  a  favorite  with  Mr.  Moody. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
QD%r  %mtti5  xtf  UntttteL 

The  Emperor  Frederick,  when  dying,  com* 
forted  himself  in  his  pain  by  singing  the  follow- 
ing hymn: 

"If  the  Lord  me  sorrow  send 

Let  me  bear  it  patiently; 
Lifting  up  my  heart  in  prayer 

Comfort  He  will  not  deny; 
Therefore,  let  there  come  what  will, 
In  the  Lord  my  heart  is  still. 

Though  the  heart  is  often  weak, 

Full  of  pain,  and  all  forlorn ; 
Though  in  days  of  utmost  pain 

Not  a  day  of  joy  will  dawn; 
Tell  it,  let  there  come  what  will, 
In  the  Lord  all  pain  is  still" 

The  author  was  Ernest  von  Willich,  a  Ger- 
man boy  twelve  years  old.  He  was  an  invalid, 
and  the  hymn  was  his  personal  testimony. 

Another  conspicuous  instance  of  a  youthful 
hymn-writer  is  Joseph  Grigg,  who  wrote 
"Ashamed  of  Jesus,"  when  only  ten  years  old. 
136 


tv  iSjgmua  of  IttttrroL  137 

The  hymn  gives  a  rare  glimpse  into  the  nature 
of  childhood  piety.  It  does  not  express,  nor  pray 
for  the  experience  of  a  mature  Christian;  yet 
possibly  no  mature  Christian  ever  wrote  a  more 
beautiful  and  popular  hymn  on  the  same  subject. 
A  child  can  be  a  true  friend.  The  hymn  is  not 
lacking  in  literary  merit.  What  more  beautiful 
figure  or  appropriate  comparison  could  be  given 
than 


or, 


"Ashamed  of  Jesus !  sooner  far 
Let  evening  blush  to  own  a  star;" 

"Ashamed  of  Jesus !  just  as  soon 
Let  midnight  be  ashamed  of  noon." 


It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  one  who  so  early 
enjoyed  the  friendship  of  Jesus  remained  faithful 
in  later  years.  He  wrote  another  hymn  called, 
"Behold  a  Stranger  at  the  door,"  in  which  he 
recommended  his  lifelong  Friend  to  others. 

Henry  Kirke  White  was  another  youthful 
hymn-writer.  He  might  have  lived  and  died  an 
unbeliever  but  for  the  influence  of  an  intimate 
friend.  The  friend  had  been  converted,  and, 
knowing  White's  skeptical  views,  avoided  him. 
White  was  grieved,  and  inquired  the  reason  for 
the  neglect.  His  friend  told  him  frankly  about 
the  change  which  had  come  into  his  life.  White 
was  greatly  impressed,  and  later  became  a 
Christian. 


138  Sfjjrnn  QxtuBixtt*. 

He  was  fond  of  outdoor  life.  Swimming  in 
the  English  Channel  was  one  of  his  favorite 
sports.  After  his  conversion  he  seemed  to  look 
through  nature  to  nature's  God.  In  one  of  his 
hymns — perhaps  his  greatest — he  gives  a  very 
poetic  and  reverent  description  of  a  storm.  The 
angry  waves  and  howling  winds  had  lost  their 
terrors  since  he  understood  that  they  were  gov- 
erned and  controlled  by  "the  Eternal  Monarch" 
of  creation : 

"Rebel,  ye  waves,  and  o'er  the  land 

With  threatening  aspect  roar; 

The  Lord  uplifts  His  awful  hand, 

And  chains  you  to  the  shore. 

Ye  winds  of  night,  your  force  combine ; 

Without  His  high  behest, 
Ye  shall  not,  in  the  mountain  pine, 

Disturb  the  sparrow's  nest." 

The  thunder  is  but  the  voice  of  God. 

"His  voice  sublime  is  heard  afar; 
In  distant  peals  it  dies." 

His  hymn  on  the  "Star  of  Bethlehem"  is 
more  familiar.  While  writing  it  he  probably  had 
in  mind  some  dark  night  that  he  himself  had 
spent  on  the  channel,  and  he  made  his  physical 
peril  represent  his  spiritual  struggle.    White  be- 


GDtlj*r  ISfgmttH  of  3fnimst.  139 

gan  to  study  for  the  ministry;  but  his  health 
failed,  and  he  died  at  the  age  of  twenty.  Such 
are  the  merits  of  his  poetry,  that  many  author- 
ities think  that,  if  he  had  lived,  he  would  have 
taken  a  place  among  the  British  poets. 

It  seems  strange  that  there  should  have  been 
any  antagonism  between  the  author  of  "Jesus, 
Lover  of  my  soul/'  and  the  author  of  "Rock  of 
Ages ;"  yet  Augustus  Toplady  wrote  many  elab- 
orate articles  which  were  intended  to  refute  the 
teachings  of  the  Wesleys.  They  taught  that  sal- 
vation was  free,  and  he  believed  in  election. 
Therefore  he  felt  it  was  his  duty  to  oppose  them. 
Their  doctrine  of  "Christian  Perfection"  aroused 
his  special  displeasure.  That  his  opposition  was 
due  to  a  misunderstanding  of  the  doctrine  is 
shown  by  this  hymn,  which  he  wrote  to  contro- 
vert it.  He  called  the  hymn  "A  living  and  dying 
prayer  for  the  holiest  believer  in  the  world."  The 
most  perfect  Christian  must  say : 

"Thou  must  save,  and  Thou  alone : 
In  my  hand  no  price  I  bring ; 
Simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling." 

He  wrote  better  than  he  knew.  He  thought 
he  was  forging  a  weapon  with  which  to  wound 
the  cause  of  the  Wesleys.  In  reality  he  was  writ- 
ing a  hymn  for  the  use  of  the  entire  Protestant 
Church.    It  was  the  dying  prayer  of  the  Prince 


140  ijjgmn  Evtmntta. 

Consort.  Bitter  as  Toplady  was  against  the 
theological  doctrine,  his  heart  longed  for  the  ex- 
perience of  perfect  salvation.    He  wrote: 

"O  when  wilt  Thou  my  Savior  be? 

O  when  shall  I  be  clean? 
The  true  eternal  Sabbath  see, — 

A  perfect  rest  from  sin  ? 
I  look  to  my  incarnate  God 

Till  He  His  work  begin ; 
And  wait  till  His  redeeming  blood 

Shall  cleanse  me  from  all  sin." 

Like  Pope  and  Montgomery,  Toplady  wrote 
a  hymn  on  the  dying  Christian.  Though  perhaps 
not  equal  in  literary  merit,  it  breathes  the  same 
spirit  of  triumph : 

"Deathless  principle,  arise; 
Soar,  thou  native  of  the  skies ! 
Pearl  of  price  by  Jesus  bought, 
To  His  glorious  likeness  wrought,— 

Go,  to  shine  before  the  throne ; 
Deck  the  Mediator's  crown; 
Go,  His  triumphs  to  adorn; 
Made  for  God,  to  God  return." 

These  might  well  have  been  his  last  words, 
so  triumphant  was  his  death.  A  short  time  be- 
fore it  occurred,  he  asked  his  friends  if  they  could 
spare  him.  They  replied  that  they  could.  "O, 
what  blessing,"  exclaimed  Toplady,  "that  you  are 


©ttjrr  %mna  nf  SlntmBt.  141 

willing  to  give  me  over  into  the  hands  of  my 
Redeemer,  and  part  with  me ;  for  no  mortal  can 
live  after  the  glory  that  has  been  revealed  in  my 
soul."  Toplady  is  remembered  by  his  hymns 
rather  than  by  his  controversies.  His  heart  was 
right,  although  his  judgment  erred. 

In  1843  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Fred- 
erick W.  Faber  became  rector  at  Elton.  The 
community  was  notorious  for  intemperance  and 
profligacy.  Faber  immediately  commenced  a 
war  against  the  prevailing  vices.  In  the  con- 
flict he  displayed  a  self-denying  earnestness  that 
was  as  successful  as  it  was  uncommon.  He 
doubtless  felt  that 

"Right  is  right,  since  God  is  God, 

And  right  the  day  must  win ; 
To  doubt  would  be  disloyalty, 
To  falter  would  be  sin." 

Order  and  decency  soon  took  the  place  of  riot 
and  crime,  and  the  parish  became  reputed  for 
thrift  and  good  behavior. 

No  one  can  read  Faber's  hymns  without  be- 
ing impressed  that  he  was  acquainted  with  God. 
As  he  himself  says  when  enumerating  the  attrac- 
tions of  heaven, — 

"The  God  we  know  is  on  that  shore, 
The  God  of  whose  attractions  we  know  more 


142  JSjymtt  utoaaurm 

Than  of  those  who  may  appear 
Nearest  and  dearest  here: 
O,  is  He  not  the  lifelong  Friend  we  know 
More  privately  than  any  friend  below?" 

God  seems  to  have  been  the  subject  of  his 
meditations  day  and  night.  The  ancient  Hebrew 
singer  said,  as  he  looked  abroad  and  saw  God's 
glory  in  nature,  "My  meditation  of  Him  shall  be 
sweet.,,  Faber,  thinking  of  the  grandeur  of  His 
character,  exclaimed  : 

"Only  to  sit  and  think  of  God, 

O,  what  joy  it  is ! 
To  think  the  thought,  to  breathe  the  Name, 
Earth  has  no  higher  bliss !" 

Again  he  sang: 

"O  how  the  thought  of  God  attracts 

And  draws  the  soul  from  earth, 
And  sickens  it  of  passing  shows 

And  dissipating  mirth ! 
O,  utter  but  the  name  of  God 

Down  in  your  heart  of  hearts, 
And  see  how  from  the  world  at  once 

All  tempting  light  departs !" 

He  wrote  another  hymn  in  which  he  com- 
pares the  thought  of  God  to  light  that  shines  in 
darkness,  to  a  thread  that  makes  a  golden  pat- 
tern in  a  cloth.     The  hymn  is  full  of  beautiful 


(§ti\tr  Sjrjmnfl  of  ifnimat  143 

thoughts  and  figures.  Only  a  few  lines  can  be 
quoted.    The  thought  of  God 

"Is  a  daybreak  to  our  hopes, 
A  sunset  to  our  fears.    .    .    . 

To  think  of  Thee  is  almost  prayer, 
And  is  outspoken  praise. 

To  suffer  for  Thee  is  our  work, 
To  think  of  Thee  our  rest." 

In  these  contemplations  he  learned  some  of 
the  deeper  truths  of  the  Gospel,  some  of  the 
greater  possibilities  of  Christian  experience. 
Some  of  these  as  expressed  in  his  hymns  might 
well  become  subjects  of  thought  for  others.  For 
instance, 

"If  mountains  can  be  moved  by  faith, 
Is  there  less  power  in  love?" 

suggests  the  further  question,  What  is  the  meas- 
ure of  love's  power?    Likewise  the  stanza, 

"If  our  love  were  but  more  simple, 

We  should  take  Him  at  His  word; 
And  our  lives  would  be  all  sunshine 
In  the  sweetness  of  our  Lord/' 

suggests  an  ideal  experience  which  might  seem 
at  first  impossible.  It  is  interesting  to  remember 
that  the  one  who  wrote  those  lines  also  wrote : 


i44  iSjgmtt  Stoasures. 

"I  worship  Thee,  sweet  Will  of  God ! 
And  all  Thy  ways  adore, 
And  every  day  I  live  I  seem 
To  love  Thee  more  and  more." 

May  not  this  hymn  explain  the  other  ? 

New  light  is  thrown  on  the  sacredness  and 
blessedness  of  this  present  life  in  his  poem — for 
it  is  a  poem  as  well  as  a  hymn — "The  Pilgrims  of 
the  Night."  He  would  have  us  believe  that  the 
Bethlehem  angels  are  still  singing 

''O'er  earth's  green  fields  and  ocean's  wave-beat  shore.,, 

He  claims  that  their  voices  are  still  audible 
to  the  ear  of  the  soul,  and  that  it  is  the  "music 
of  the  Gospel"  that  "leads  us  home."  When  we 
reach  that  shore  we  are  to  expect  songs  of  wel- 
come. That  the  author  greatly  longed  for  his 
own  homecoming  is  shown  by  his  hymn,  "O 
Paradise."  Faber  was  a  modern  mystic — a  St. 
Bernard  of  the  nineteenth  century.  His  hymns, 
like  those  of  Bowring,  were  the  expression  of  his 
own  feelings  and  longings,  rather  than  poetic 
compositions  written  for  fame  or  wealth.  He 
humbly  says  of  them : 

"It  is  an  immense  mercy  of  God  to  allow 
any  one  to  do  the  least  thing  which  brings  souls 
nearer  to  Him.  Each  man  feels  for  himself  the 
peculiar  wonder  of  that  mercy  in  his  own  case. 
That  our  blessed  Lord  has  permitted  these  hymns 


(§ttyt  Ijrgmtts  $f  MttetttiL  145 

to  be  of  some  trifling  good  to  souls,  and  so  con- 
tribute in  a  very  humble  way  to  His  glory,  is  to 
the  author  a  source  of  profitable  confusion  as 
well  as  unmerited  consolation." 

An  English  clergyman,  when  dying,  sent  for 
a  brother  clergyman  to  come  and  pray  with  him. 
He  confessed  to  him  that  he  was  afraid  to  die. 
Together  they  read  the  Bible  and  made  the  dis- 
covery that  they  were  not  converted  men.  They 
began  to  pray,  and  there,  in  the  death-chamber, 
the  living  and  the  dying  both  found  peace.  The 
visiting  clergyman  was  Henry  F.  Lyte.  From 
that  day  a  new  power  entered  into  his  life  and 
ministry.  The  completeness  of  his  surrender,  and 
the  thoroughness  of  his  religious  experience, 
may  be  judged  from  the  following  hymn,  which 
reads  like  a  personal  testimony : 

"Jesus,  I  my  cross  have  taken, 
All  to  leave,  and  follow  Thee ; 
Naked,  poor,  despised,  forsaken, 
Thou,  from  hence,  my  all  shalt  be." 

Later,  when  he  was  in  very  delicate  health, 
and  felt  that  his  death  was  approaching,  he  wrote 
the  following  pathetic  prayer : 

"O  Thou,  whose  touch  can  lend 
Life  to  the  dead,  Thy  quickening  grace  supply; 
And  grant  me,  swan-like,  my  last  breath  to  spend 
In  song  that  may  not  die !" 

10 


146  $fjjmn  ®xmBuz$&. 

This  prayer  was  answered  literally.  In  1847 
Lyte  planned  to  take  a  trip  for  his  health.  On 
the  last  Sunday  morning  before  he  started  he 
preached  a  farewell  sermon  to  his  people,  and 
administered  the  sacrament.  That  evening  he 
handed  to  a  friend  the  hymn, 

"Abide  with  me !  fast  falls  the  eventide," 

and  the  music  which  he  had  adapted  to  it.  The 
author  died  only  a  few  weeks  later,  but  his  hymn 
still  lives,  and  will  live. 

A  beautiful  story  is  connected  with  the  origin 
of  the  hymn, 

"Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 
Our  hearts  in  Christian  love." 

The  author,  John  Fawcett,  had  been  the  pas- 
tor of  a  humble  Baptist  Church  at  Wainsgate 
ever  since  his  ordination.  But  in  1772  he  re- 
ceived a  call  to  a  more  prosperous  London  par- 
ish. He  packed  his  goods,  and  was  about  to 
start  for  his  new  home,  when  his  people  assem- 
bled, and  with  tears  begged  him  to  remain  with 
them.  At  length  he  was  overcome  by  their  en- 
treaties, and  ordered  the  wagons  to  be  unloaded. 
Soon  afterward  he  wrote  this  hymn,  and  called  it 
"Brotherly  Love."  He  spent  the  rest  of  his  life 
laboring  for  this  devoted  people. 


©ttjrr  fcjgmna  of  3hiterrflt.  147 

The  majestic  hymn  beginning, 

"Mighty  God !  while  angels  bless  Thee, 
May  a  mortal  lisp  Thy  name?" 

was  written  for  a  child.  Robert  Robinson  was 
holding  his  little  friend,  Benjamin  Williams  on 
his  knee  when  he  penned  the  lines.  When  they 
were  finished  he  gave  them  to  the  boy.  The  ap- 
propriateness of  the  hymn  is.  more  apparent  in 
the  original,  where  the  second  line  reads, 

"May  an  infant  lisp  Thy  name?" 

Andrew  Reed,  the  philanthropist,  published 
a  volume  of  hymns  from  which  the  Church  has 
taken  several,  among  them, 

"Holy  Ghost,  with  light  divine, 
Shine  upon  this  heart  of  mine ; 
Chase  the  shades  of  night  away, 
Turn  my  darkness  into  day." 

His  fame  is  due,  however,  to  his  work  for  the 
sick  and  unfortunate,  "the  most  unhappy/'  as  he 
Called  them.  He  founded  several  hospitals  and 
asylums,  out  of  gratitude  for  what  had  been  done 
for  his  mother.  She  had  been  a  waif,  but  was 
befriended  and  cared  for  by  a  Christian  family, 
and  grew  to  be  a  noble  woman.  Could  gratitude 
find  a  nobler  expression? 


148  Sfgrntt  EtmmttB. 

Scotland  has  given  the  Church  few  hymn- 
writers,  but  they  are  worthy.  Dr.  Horatius  Bonar 
is  not  the  least  among  them.  His  experience  illus- 
trates the  truth  of  the  ancient  adage,  "A  prophet 
is  not  without  honor,  save  in  his  own  country." 
Bonar's  hymns  are  loved  and  used  throughout 
Christendom,  except  in  his  own  Church.  This 
is  not,  however,  a  reflection  on  the  author,  or  on 
the  quality  of  his  hymns.  The  Scotch  Presby- 
terians prefer  the  Psalms  of  David  to  all  unin- 
spired hymns,  no  matter  how  grand  the  latter 
may  be.  Dr.  Bonar  was  pastor  at  Kelso,  and  he 
wrote  his  hymns  for  the  use  of  his  own  Sunday- 
school.  Although  not  exclusively  children's 
hymns,  many  of  them  are  particularly  adapted 
to  children's  use.  They  are  simple  and  childlike, 
yet  they  possess  a  dignity  which  is  not  often 
found  in  hymns  written  for  children.  The  per- 
sonal element  in  his  hymns  is  very  strong.  "I 
heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  say,"  "/  lay  my  sins  on 
Jesus,"  UI  was  a  wandering  sheep."  The  tender 
trustfulness  and  simplicity  which  make  all  his 
hymns  so  sweet,  is  conspicuous  in  the  one  enti- 
tled, "Thy  way,  not  mine :" 

"The  kingdom  that  I  seek 
Is  Thine ;  so  let  the  way 
That  leads  to  it  be  Thine, 
Else  I  must  surely  stray. 


flWjrr  5jgmna  nf  StUm^t.  149 

Choose  Thou  for  me  my  friends. 

My  sickness  or  my  health; 
Choose  Thou  my  cares  for  me. 

My  poverty  or  wealth. 

Not  mine,  not  mine  the  choice, 
In  things,  or  great  or  small ; 

Be  Thou  my  guide,  my  strength, 
My  wisdom,  and  my  all." 

After  reading  his  hymns  one  is  prepared  to 
appreciate  the  description  that  a  visitor  to  his 
Church  in  Scotland  gives  of  the  hymnist.  She 
says :  "There  were  no  rugged  lines  about  his  face 
— but  benevolence,  peace,  sweetness  pervaded  it. 
The  first  thought  was  'He  is  just  like  his  hymns 
— not  great,  but  tender,  sweet,  tranquil/  His 
prayer  was  as  simple  as  a  child's.  His  sermon 
was  marked  by  absence  of  attempt  at  originality ; 
it  was  simply  an  invitation.  In  closing,  he  said 
with  one  of  the  most  winning  faces  I  ever  saw, 
'Whosoever/  that  means  you;  'whosoever  will/ 
does  that  mean  you,  too  V  " 

Thomas  Kelly  represents  Ireland  among  the 
hymn-writers.  He  belonged  to  a  noble  family. 
Wealth,  learning,  and  ability  were  all  his,  and 
he  gave  them  freely  to  the  service  of  the  Church. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  was  ordained,  and 
in  a  few  years  became  one  of  the  most  powerful 
preachers  in  Dublin.     Crowds  came  to  hear  his 


150  Sjgmn  QtoaaisraL 

sermons.  He  labored  more  than  sixty  years  in 
the  Irish  capital,  and  his  work  was  very  zealous 
and  evangelistic.  It  is  said  that  no  worthy  cause 
ever  appealed  to  him  in  vain.  The  Church  has 
received  several  valuable  hymns  from  his  pen. 
The  resurrection  and  exaltation  of  Christ  seem 
to  have  inspired  his  poetic  genius.  Among  his 
hymns  are  the  following : 


and, 
and, 
and, 
and, 


"Come,  ye  saints,  look  here  and  wonder; 
See  the  place  where  Jesus  lay ;" 

"The  Lord  is  risen  indeed; 

The  grave  hath  lost  its  prey;" 

"Look,  ye  saints,  the  sight  is  glorious ; 
See  the  Man  of  sorrows  now;" 

"The  head  that  once  was  crowned  with  thorns, 
Is  crowned  with  glory  now;" 

"Hark !  the  notes  of  angels,  singing, 
'Glory,  glory  to  the  Lamb !' " 


It  is  natural  that  one  who  had  such  joy  in 
the  resurrection,  should  also  have  faith  in  the  final 
triumph  of  the  Church.  Kelly  was  the  author  of 
"Arise,  ye  saints,  arise  I"  "On  the  mountain's  top 
appearing,"  and  "Zion  stands  with  hills  sur- 
rounded." He  was  a  Biblical  scholar,  and  these 
hymns  indicate  that  he  had  drunk  deep  of  the 


(§ti\tv  fijgmtus  of  ainter^L  151 

spirit  of  the  ancient  prophets.  Such  lyrics  ought 
to  inspire  the  Church  with  courage  and  hope. 

Dr.  Horder  calls  Ray  Palmer  the  best  known 
and  deeply  loved  hymnist  of  America.  He  was 
both  a  hymn-writer  and  a  hymn-translator.  Many 
of  his  translations  are  of  the  ancient  hymns,  and 
are  quoted  in  the  first  chapter.  Of  his  original 
compositions,  by  far  the  greatest  was  written  when 
he  was  only  twenty-two  years  old.  At  that  time 
he  was  a  teacher  in  a  young  ladies'  school  in  New 
York.  He  was  in  poor  health,  and  was  battling 
with  discouragements.  One  day  he  read  a  little 
German  poem  which  described  the  suppliant  be- 
fore the  cross.  Palmer  was  so  impressed  that 
he  made  a  translation  of  it,  and  added  the  hymn, 

"My  faith  looks  up  to  Thee, 
Thou  Lamb  of  Calvary, 
Savior  Divine," 

as  the  prayer  of  the  suppliant.  Dr.  Palmer  said 
afterwards,  that  he  wrote  what  he  felt,  and  fin- 
ished its  composition  with  tears  in  his  eyes;  "I 
expressed  the  deep  consciousness  of  my  own 
need."  As  it  was  not  written  for  publication,  it 
was  laid  away  for  years.  One  day,  however, 
Lowell  Mason,  the  musical  composer,  met  Dr. 
Palmer  on  the  street,  and  asked  him  to  contribute 
a  few  lines  to  a  hymn-book  that  he  was  compil- 
ing.   Dr.  Palmer  gave  him  a  copy  of  this  hymn. 


152  $?gmn  EvtmuvtB. 

Dr.  Mason  read  it,  and  predicted  that  it  would 
be  sung  around  the  world ;  and  whatever  else  the 
author  might  do,  his  fame  would  rest  on  that  one 
hymn.  His  prediction  proved  true.  Dr.  Palmer, 
however,  regarded  his  hymn  beginning, 

"Jesus,  these  eyes  have  never  seen 
That  radiant  form  of  Thine," 

as  his  masterpiece,  and  repeated  part  of  it  when 
he  was  dying. 

He  gave  his  hymns  to  the  compilers  without 
compensation ;  but,  in  consideration  of  the  favor, 
insisted  that  they  should  not  be  altered,  but  in- 
serted as  he  wrote  them. 

The  hymn-writers  already  mentioned  are  few 
compared  to  the  whole  number.  There  is  Ed- 
ward Perronet,  whose  fame  rests  upon  one  hymn, 
"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name;"  Timothy 
Dwight,  for  many  years  president  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, and  author  of  the  familiar  hymn,  "I  love 
Thy  kingdom,  Lord."  Samuel  Medley  and  Sam- 
uel Stennett  were  early  Methodist  preachers  who 
were  filled  with  an  ardent  love  for  the  Savior. 
The  former  wrote,  "O  could  I  speak  the  match- 
less worth,"  and  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer 
lives."  The  latter  wrote  "Majestic  Sweetness 
sits  enthroned,"  and  "On  Jordan's  stormy  banks 
I  stand."  Joseph  Hart  and  John  Cennick,  after 
spending  their  early  life  in  dissipation,  were  con- 


Wti\tv  $gttut*  vi  Sttimat  153 

verted,  and  became  good  and  useful  men.  Hart 
wrote,  "Come,  ye  sinners  poor  and  needy,"  and 
"O  for  a  glance  of  heavenly  day."  Cennick 
wrote,  "Thou  dear  Redeemer,  dying  Lamb,"  and 
"Jesus,  my  All,  to  heaven  is  gone."  Matthew 
Bridges  ought  to  be  mentioned.  "Rise,  glorious 
Conqueror,  rise,"  and  "Crown  Him  with  many 
crowns,"  are  both  his. 

To  this  company  of  hymn-writers  belong  a 
few  converts  from  heathenism.  Krishnu-Pal,  the 
first  Hindoo  Christian,  was  the  author  of  one  of 
the  Church's  communion  hymns.    It  begins : 

"O  thou,  my  soul,  forget  no  more 
The  Friend  who  all  thy  sorrows  bore ; 
Let  every  idol  be  forgot, 
But,  O  my  soul,  forget  Him  not !" 

Krishnu  broke  his  arm,  and  had  it  set  by  Mr. 
Thomas,  Dr.  Carey's  assistant.  That  faithful 
missionary  did  not  neglect  the  opportunity  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  his  patient.  Krishnu  was 
moved  to  tears,  and  afterward  visited  the  mis- 
sionary in  order  to  receive  instruction.  At  length 
he  and  his  family  publicly  renounced  their  caste, 
and  ate  with  the  missionaries.  That  act  pro- 
duced the  greatest  excitement  among  the  natives. 
A  large  mob  assembled,  and  dragged  the  new 
converts  before  the  magistrates.  In  this  storm  of 
persecution  the  faith  of  several  of  the  converts 


154  Sfjjmn  Qvtmntta. 

wavered.  Krishnu,  however,  remained  faithful, 
and,  on  December  28,  1800,  he  was  baptized 
alone,  in  the  river  Ganges,  by  Dr.  Carey.  A  large 
throng  of  Portuguese,  Mohammedans,  and  Hin- 
doos attended  the  service.  The  governor  of 
India  was  also  present,  and  was  moved  to  tears 
at  the  sight.  That  evening  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  administered  for  the  first 
time  in  Bengali ;  it  was  the  fruition  of  seven  years 
of  patient  seed-sowing.  For  twenty  years 
Krishnu-Pal  faithfully  served  his  Lord.  He  was 
of  great  assistance  to  the  missionaries  as  an  in- 
terpreter, translator,  and  writer  of  hymns  and 
tracts. 

"In  the  secret  of  His  presence 
How  my  soul  delights  to  hide," 

was  written  by  Ellen  Lakshim  Goreh,  a  Brahmin 
of  the  highest  caste.  This  hymn  and  that  of 
Krishnu  are  both  significant  in  that  they  express 
the  feelings  of  converted  heathen,  when  they  find 
a  God  who  is  a  true  friend  instead  of  a  powerful 
enemy. 

The  American  Indians  have  a  representative 
in  Samson  Ockerman,  the  first  Indian  preacher. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Mohawk  tribe,  and  was 
converted  under  the  preaching  of  George  White- 
field.  For  years  he  preached  and  labored  among 
his  own  people  at  the  extreme  end  of  Long 


©Uf?r  ISfyma  af  inter**!  155 

Island.  Later  he  went  to  England,  and  raised  ten 
thousand  pounds,  which  formed  the  financial 
foundation  of  Dartmouth  College.  He  was  a 
good  preacher,  and  especially  gifted  in  extem- 
porary speaking.  The  extent  of  his  influence 
among  his  own  people  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
three  hundred  Indians  attended  his  funeral.  His 
hymn,  in  part,  is  as  follows : 

"Awaked  by  Sinai's  awful  sound, 
My  soul  in  bonds  of  guilt  I  found, 

And  knew  not  where  to  go; 
One  solemn  truth  increased  my  pain; 
The  sinner  must  be  born  again, 
Or  sink  to  endless  woe. 

But  while  I  thus  in  anguish  lay, 
The  bleeding  Savior  passed  that  way, 

My  bondage  to  remove ; 
The  sinner,  once  by  justice  slain, 
Now,  by  His  grace,  is  born  again, 

And  sings  redeeming  love." 

Dr.  Storrs  said  of  the  hymn-writer:  "The 
grandest  privilege  which  God  ever  gives  to  His 
children  upon  earth,  and  which  he  gives  to  com- 
paratively few,  is  to  write  a  noble  Christian  hymn, 
to  be  accepted  by  the  Church,  to  be  sung  by  rev- 
erent and  loving  hearts  in  the  different  lands,  and 
different  tongues;  and  which  still  shall  be  sung 
as  the  future  opens  its  brightening  centuries. 
Such  a  hymn  brings  him  to  whom  it  is  given 


156  %mn  ®rau«tr*a. 

into  most  intimate  sympathy  with  the  Master, 
and  with  the  more  sensitive  and  devout  of  every 
time." 

But  not  all  the  blessings  are  reserved  for  the 
authors.  Speaking  of  the  influence  of  the  hymn 
upon  the  singer,  Mr.  Beecher  once  said :  "I  have 
never  loved  men  under  any  circumstances  as  I 
have  loved  them  while  singing  with  them ;  never 
at  any  other  time  have  I  been  so  near  heaven  with 
you,  as  in  those  hours  when  our  songs  were 
wafted  thitherward." 


CHAPTER  IX. 
KtxUb  ftrmtalutavB  aw&  (tatalatiflttfi* 

A  hymn  belongs  to  the  entire  Church,  and 
not  only  to  the  denomination  or  country  which 
produced  it.  The  British  Isles  have  given  birth  to 
most  of  the  great  hymn-writers.  Watts,  Wesley, 
Heber,  Doddridge,  and  Faber  were  all  English- 
men; Montgomery  and  Bonar  were  natives  of 
Scotland,  and  Kelly  was  of  Irish  origin.  Eng- 
land, probably,  excels  all  other  countries  in  the 
number  of  her  hymnists,  and  America  is  fast  be- 
coming a  rival. 

Hymnody  is  greatly  enriched,  however,  by 
the  lyrics  of  other  lands.  Note  the  Easter  hymns 
which  have  come  down  to  us  from  the  Greek  and 
Latin  of  the  early  Church.  The  great  Passion 
hymns  were  written  in  Latin.  Cluny's  hymns  of 
heaven  are  unexcelled  by  those  of  any  modern 
writer.  The  German  battle-hymns  are  equally 
worthy.  Thus  the  work  of  the  translator  has 
been  necessary  in  making  the  hymn-wealth  of 
the  world  available  for  every  part. 
157 


158  Sjgtmt  (EtmBtxna. 

John  M.  Neale  gave  the  English-speaking 
Church  most  of  her  translations  of  ancient 
hymns.  She  accepted  the  gift,  but  despitefully 
used  the  giver.  He  was  a  High  Churchman,  and 
many  suspected  him  of  being  in  sympathy  with 
Rome.  For  twenty  years  he  was  forbidden  to 
preach.  He  was  obliged  to  support  himself  by 
writing  books  and  stories  for  children.  During 
the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life  he  was  warden 
of  the  Sacksville  College,  a  position  which  yielded 
him  an  annual  income  of  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  dollars.  When  he  founded  the  Sisterhood 
of  Saint  Margaret  his  persecutors  burned  him 
in  effigy.  His  troubles  were  largely  due  to  the 
fact  that  he  was  misunderstood.  After  his  death, 
his  works  which  remained,  received  late  but  hon- 
orable recognition.  All  the  Churches  sing  his 
translations,  many  of  which  have  the  value  of 
original  compositions.  "Jerusalem  the  Golden" 
and  "The  Day  of  Resurrection"  are  fine  speci- 
mens of  his  work. 

Edward  Caswall  showed  early  a  gift  for  poetic 
translation.  While  a  student  in  Oxford  he  pub- 
lished a  humorous  translation  of  Aristotle,  en- 
titled "The  Art  of  Pluck."  It  is  still  prized  by 
the  students  in  that  university.  In  later  years 
he  published  the  "Lyra  Catholica,"  which  con- 
tained translations  of  many  Latin  hymns.    Here 


Nutrii  ©ranaiakira  anil  SratttflatUms.      159 

is  his  translation  of  a  hymn  taken  from  the  Latin 
Breviary : 

"O  Thou  pure  Light  of  souls  that  love, 
True  Joy  of  every  human  breast, 
Sower  of  life's  immortal  seed, 
Our  Savior  and  Redeemer  blest ! 

Be  Thou  our  guide,  be  Thou  our  goal; 

Be  Thou  our  pathway  to  the  skies ; 
Our  joy,  when  sorrow  fills  the  soul; 

In  death  our  everlasting  prize." 

Here  is  a  stanza  from  his  translation  of  Veni 
Creator  Spiritus: 

"Come,  Holy  Spirit,  now  descend ! 
Most  blessed  gift  which  God  can  send ; 
Thou  Fire  of  love,  and  Fount  of  life ! 
Consume  our  sins,  and  calm  our  strife." 

Dr.  Caswall  proved  a  worthy  translator  of  St. 
Bernard's  hymns.  "Jesus,  the  very  thought  of 
Thee,"  "Jesus,  King  most  wonderful/' and  "Jesus, 
Thou  the  beauty  art,"  are  all  his  translations. 
Their  beauty  has  long  been  recognized  by  the 
Church. 

We  are  indebted  to  John  Chandler,  an  Eng- 
lish clergyman,  for  some  of  the  best  translations 
of  Latin  hymns.  "The  royal  banner  is  unfurled," 
is  a  specimen  of  his  work. 

Mrs.  Charles,  already  referred  to  as  the  au- 
thor of  a  hymn,  was  also  a  translator  of  no  mean 


160  Bjymtt  ISvtviBUVtB. 

ability.  Her  book  on  hymnology,  entitled  "The 
Christian  Life  in  Song,"  contains  many  valuable 
translations. 

The  "Dies  Irse"  has  had  more  translators 
than  any  other  hymn.  A  few  years  ago  there 
were  one  hundred  American,  and  ninety-three 
English  translations,  besides  numerous  render- 
ings into  other  tongues.  One  man  alone  made 
seventeen  translations. 

General  Dix,  of  the  Union  Army,  while  sta- 
tioned at  Fort  Monroe  in  1863,  spent  his  leisure 
time  in  making  a  translation  which  is  regarded  as 
very  fine.  Here  is  a  stanza  which  shows  the 
style : 

"King  of  majesty  tremendous, 
By  Thy  saving  grace  defend  us ; 
Fount  of  pity,  safety  send  us." 

The  accepted  English  translation  was  made  by 
Rev.  W.  J.  Irons.  He  received  his  inspiration  for 
the  work  through  hearing  the  original  hymn  mag- 
nificently rendered  at  the  memorial  service  for 
Archbishop  Affre,  who  was  assassinated  during 
the  Revolution  of  1848.  In  his  translation,  Dr. 
Irons  succeeded  in  reproducing  much  of  the 
spirit  of  the  Latin.  Like  many  other  translators, 
he  wrote  several  original  hymns.  One  of  them 
is  an  Easter  anthem,  beginning, 


Notri*  2Tratt0latnr0  anil  SteutslattmtB.      161 

"Sing  with  all  the  sons  of  glory, 
Sing  the  resurrection  song!" 

Another  English  translation  beginning, 

"Day  of  wrath,  O  dreadful  day ! 
When  this  world  shall  pass  away," 

was  made  by  Arthur  P.  Stanley,  Dean  of  West- 
minster. In  his  boyhood  he  attended  the  Rugby 
School,  and  his  experiences  there  formed  the 
basis  of  Thomas  Hughes's  character  of  "Arthur" 
in  "Tom  Brown's  School-days." 

The  best  short  translation  is  the  one  by  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  already  referred  to.  Gladstone 
said  of  it:  "I  know  nothing  more  sublime  in 
any  portion  of  the  sacred  poets  of  modern  times 
— I  mean  the  present  century — than  the  hymn  for 
the  dead,  extending  only  twelve  lines,  which  he 
introduces  in  'The  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel/  " 

John  Dryden,  for  thirty  years  poet  laureate 
of  England,  was  far  from  a  hymn-writer.  Much 
of  his  poetry  is  coarse  and  low.  Yet  he  wrote 
the  translation  of  the  "Veni  Creator  Spiritus," 
which  is  found  in  the  Prayer-book  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church.  It  closes  with  the  following 
doxology : 

"Immortal  honor,  endless  fame, 
Attend  the  Almighty  Father's  name ; 
II 


1 62  ijgmn  (SvmmvtB. 

The  Savior  Son  be  glorified, 

Who  for  lost  man's  redemption  died ; 

And  equal  adoration  be, 

Eternal  Comforter,  to  Thee ! 

John  Wesley  served  the  Church  as  a  transla- 
tor of  hymns,  as  well  as  a  preacher.  The  German 
lyrics  attracted  him  especially.  This  may  have 
been  due  to  the  fact  that  he  was  strongly  in- 
fluenced for  several  years  by  the  teachings  of  the 
Moravians.  He  received  the  "Witness  of  the 
Spirit"  in  one  of  their  meetings.  Just  before  he 
began  his  life-work  as  a  reformer  and  evangelist, 
he  went  to  Germany,  and  visited  the  Moravian 
community  of  Herrnhut.  While  on  this  trip  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Nicolaus  Zinzendorf. 
He  afterward  translated  several  of  the  hymns  of 
that  Christian  count. 

Wesley  was  somewhat  of  a  mystic.  There- 
fore he  jcould  appreciate  the  beautiful  hymns  of 
Gerhard  Tersteegen,  Johann  Scheffler,  and  other 
German  Mystics.  Of  Wesley's  translations,  Dr. 
Horder  speaks  in  the  highest  terms.  He  says, 
"John  was  as  great  a  translator  as  Charles  was 
an  original  hymnist."  Whether  such  an  estimate 
is  just  can  only  be  determined  by  examining  the 
hymns  themselves.  Here  is  a  stanza  from  his 
translation  of  Ernest  Lange's  hymn  on  "God's 
greatness ;" 


Nateb  Srattfiiatarfi  nnb  (UrattBiattattfi.     163 

"Each  evening  shows  Thy  tender  love, 

Each  rising  morn  Thy  plenteous  grace ; 
Thy  wakened  wrath  doth  slowly  move, 
Thy  willing  mercy  flies  apace." 

The  following  is  taken  from  his  translation  of 
one  of  Joachim  Lange's  hymns : 

"O  God,  what  offering  shall  I  give 

To  Thee,  the  Lord  of  earth  and  skies? 

My  spirit,  soul,  and  flesh  receive, 
A  holy,  living  sacrifice: 

Small  as  it  is,  't  is  all  my  store ; 

More  shouldst  Thou  have,  if  I  had  more/' 

His  translation  of  one  of  Scheffler's  hymns 
begins, 

"O  God,  of  good  the  unfathomed  sea ! 
Who  would  not  give  his  heart  to  Thee?" 

One  of  his  best  translations  begins, 

"Lo !  God  is  here !  let  us  adore, 

And  own  how  dreadful  is  this  place." 

The  following  story  is  told  of  one  of  his  trans- 
lations: Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  and  Ralph 
Waldo  Emerson  were  once  discussing  the  merits 
of  various  hymns.  Holmes  declared  that  most 
hymns  were  only  cabinet  work — not  really  poetic. 
But  he  added  that  there  was  one  supreme  hymn, 
and  began  to  quote : 


1 64  2?gmn  QttUBKtta. 

"Thou  hidden  love  of  God,  whose  height, 
Whose  depth  unfathomed,  no  man  knows! 

I  see  from  far  Thy  beauteous  light, 
Inly  I  sigh  for  Thy  repose : 

My  heart  is  pained,  nor  can  it  be 

At  rest,  till  it  finds  rest  in  Thee." 

"I  know — I  know/'  replied  Emerson;  "that 
is  the  supreme  hymn."  It  was  an  extravagant 
claim,  but  Holmes  and  Emerson  should  be  good 
authorities  on  the  literary  merits  of  a  hymn. 

Wesley  was  a  severe  critic  of  hymns.  He 
strongly  disapproved  of  weak  sentimentality  and 
of  phrases  which  he  deemed  too  familiar  to  be  ad- 
dressed to  the  Deity.  He  did  not  hesitate,  when 
editing  a  collection  of  hymns,  to  alter  those  which 
contained  such  expressions.  His  brother's  hymns 
were  not  exempt.  In  one  familiar  lyric,  "My 
dear  Redeemer's  praise"  was  changed  to  "My 
great  Redeemer's  praise."  These  alterations 
were  not  made  because  Wesley's  heart  was  cold, 
but  because  he  had  a  high  sense  of  the  reverence 
with  which  man  should  approach  God. 

Wesley  had  also  very  positive  opinions  con- 
cerning Church  music.  Here  are  some  of  the 
rules  he  made  for  the  use  of  the  Methodist  so- 
cieties. 

"Sing  no  anthems." 

"Do  not  suffer  the  people  to  sing  too  slow. 
This  tends  to  formality." 


Jfatrii  SJranfilatara  unit  BranalatfrmB.     165 

"Exhort  every  one,  whether  men  or  women, 
in  the  congregation  to  sing." 

"In  every  large  class  let  them  learn  to  sing." 

With  all  this  encouragement,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  the  Church  which  he  founded  became 
famous  for  its  congregational  singing. 

It  is  of  interest  to  know  what  were  the  favor- 
ite hymns  of  a  man  who  had  such  lofty  ideals. 
During  his  visits  to  his  societies  he  frequently 
sang  this  stanza : 

"O  that  without  a  lingering  groan 
I  may  the  welcome  word  receive  ; 
My  body  with  my  charge  lay  down, 
And  cease  at  once  to  work  and  live !" 

On  the  day  before  his  death  he  sang  Dr. 
Watts's  hymn : 

"I  '11  praise  my  Maker  while  I  've  breath, 
And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death, 

Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  powers; 
My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last, 

Or  immortality  endures." 

This  stanza  seems  literally  to  describe  his 
death.  Every  little  while  he  broke  into  some 
song  of  praise,  even  when  his  strength  was  hardly 
adequate  to  the  strain.  His  last  words  were  the 
joyous  shout,  twice  repeated,  "The  best  of  all  is, 
God  is  with  us !"    Thus  closed  the  life  which  for 


1 66  Sjjjmn  GFraraisrau 

more  than  half  a  century  had  been  spent  in  active 
evangelism.  During  that  time  he  had  traveled 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  miles  and 
preached  forty  thousand  times.  The  fruits  of 
those  labors  still  remain. 

Catharine  Winkworth  is  an  honored  name 
among  those  of  translators.  Besides  translating 
numerous  German  hymns,  she  published  a  book 
called  "Christian  Singers  of  Germany/'  which 
is  an  authority  on  the  hymnology  of  that  country. 
The  following  are  extracts  from  two  of  her  trans- 
lations. The  first  contains  a  beautiful  spiritual 
interpretation  of  the  closing  verses  of  the  twenty- 
fourth  Psalm: 

"Lift  up  your  heads,  ye  mighty  gates ! 
Behold,  the  King  of  glory  waits ; 
The  King  of  kings  is  drawing  near, 
The  Savior  of  the  world  is  here. 

The  Lord  is  just,  a  helper  tried; 
Mercy  is  ever  at  his  side; 
His  kingly  crown  is  holiness ; 
His  scepter,  pity  in  distress. 

O  blest  the  land,  the  city  blest, 
Where  Christ  the  ruler  is  confessed ! 
O  happy  hearts  and  happy  homes 
To  whom  this  King  of  triumph  comes  l" 

The  following  is  in  a  different  strain,  but 
equally  beautiful : 


Nairi*  ©nmBlatnra  mb  SrattBlatianfi.     167 

"Well  for  him  who,  all  things  losing, 
E'en  himself  doth  count  as  naught, 
Still  the  one  thing  needful  choosing, 
That  with  all  true  bliss  is  fraught! 

Well  for  him  who  nothing  knoweth 
But  his  God,  whose  boundless  love 

Makes  the  heart  wherein  it  gloweth 
Calm  and  pure  as  saints  above !" 

The  blessedness  of  such  a  life  seems  to  have 
deeply  impressed  the  author,  for  later  he  ex- 
claims : 

"O  that  we  our  hearts  might  sever 
From  earth's  tempting  vanities, 
Fixing  them  on  Him  forever 
In  whom  all  our  fullness  lies !" 

Every  evening  at  her  devotions  Mary  Reed, 
the  leper  missionary,  sings  the  hymn  beginning, 

"My  Jesus,  as  Thou  wilt: 
O  may  Thy  will  be  mine." 

It  was  written  by  Benjamin  Schmolke,  and 
translated  by  Miss  Jane  Borthwick. 

The  author  was  the  son  of  a  poor  minister. 
He  longed  for  an  education,  and  worked  hard  to 
secure  one.  One  day  he  preached  from  his 
father's  pulpit  on  the  text,  "I  am  poor  and  needy ; 
yet  the  Lord  thinketh  upon  me."    A  wealthy  rela- 


1 68  Sfijmn  Qhwuisim 

tive  was  so  impressed  and  pleased  with  the  ser- 
mon that  he  aided  the  boy  to  secure  the  remainder 
of  his  education.  -  In  this  way  he  was  enabled  to 
graduate  from  the  University  of  Leipsic.  For  a 
few  years  he  assisted  his  father  as  curate,  and 
then  he  became  rector  of  the  Church  at  Schweid- 
nitz,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  a  period 
of  thirty-five  years.  His  daily  life  was  so  beau- 
tiful that  he  won  the  respect  and  love  of  even  the 
Jesuits  who  lived  in  the  same  community.  In 
1718  half  the  town  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Schmolke  wrote  this  hymn  of  resignation  in 
memory  of  the  disaster. 

His  last  years  were  clouded  by  misfortune. 
In  1730  he  had  a  partial  shock  of  paralysis,  which 
deprived  him  of  his  sight.  In  spite  of  this  al- 
most insuperable  difficulty  he  continued  his  work 
for  five  years,  and  then  calmly  awaited  his  sum- 
mons home.  It  came  in  1737.  His  hardships  in- 
spired a  hymn  which  has  blessed  many  hearts  in 
many  lands. 

In  this  missionary  age  of  the  Church  the  in- 
fluence of  Christian  hymns  is  wider  than  ever  be- 
fore. The  hymn-book  has  followed  the  Bible 
into  every  continent,  and  probably  into  every  lan- 
guage in  which  missionary  work  is  carried  on. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A  Jtero  Wuthz  Abxwi  Ghtnta. 

Hkzkkiah  Butterworth  once  said  in  speak- 
ing of  the  Coronation  hymn,  "Perronet's  words 
are  wonderfully  exalting,  but  they  would  be  al- 
most wingless  without  the  tune." 

Cardinal  Newman,  when  complimented  on  his 
hymn,  "Lead,  Kindly  Light/'  replied,  "Yes  deeply 
thankful,  and  more  than  thankful ;"  then,  after 
a  pause,  "But  you  see  it  was  not  the  hymn  but 
the  tune  that  gained  the  popularity."  These  re- 
marks contain  a  truth  which  applies  to  hymns  in 
general.  Their  success  depends  in  a  large  meas- 
ure on  the  tunes  to  which  they  are  sung.  Some 
grand  hymns  "are  wingless"  because  of  the  dull 
character  of  their  tunes,  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
some  very  ordinary  lyrics  are  popular  because  of 
their  music.  This  being  true,  it  may  not  be  out 
of  place  to  say  something  about  tunes  in  a  book 
devoted  to  hymns.  There  are  treasures  among 
tunes  as  well  as  among  hymns. 
169 


170  Bjgmn  <SrmB\xtt*. 

Fragments  of  the  old  Gregorian  Chants  are 
still  found  in  our  hymn-books.  For  centuries 
these  chants  formed  the  body  of  Church  music. 
They  were  written  in  the  sixth  century  by  Greg- 
ory the  Great.  He  was  a  noble  Roman  and  prom- 
inent in  the  politics  of  that  day.  But  he  loved 
the  Church  more  than  the  State,  and  preferred 
monastic  to  public  life.  He  resigned  his  office 
therefore,  and  spent  his  wealth  in  building  mon- 
asteries. He  entered  one  of  them  as  a  menial, 
but  soon  rose  to  the  abbacy.  It  was  during  this 
part  of  his  career  that  he  saw  the  slave  boys  in 
the  Roman  market-place,  and  inquired  concern- 
ing their  nationality.  "Angles/'  was  the  reply. 
"Not  Angles  but  'Angels/  "  exclaimed  the  monk. 
He  resolved  at  once  to  go  as  a  missionary  to 
their  native  land.  Before  he  could  carry  out  his 
intention,  however,  he  was  elected  Bishop  of 
Rome.  He  tried  to  escape  this  honor  by  hid- 
ing in  the  woods;  but  he  was  found,  and  con- 
secrated in  595.  A  terrible  pestilence  was  raging 
in  Rome,  and  Gregory  and  his  associates  left  the 
papal  palace  and  cared  personally  for  the  suffer- 
ers. Gregory  regarded  himself  as  the  steward 
of  the  Church  in  behalf  of  the  poor.  Therefore 
he  kept  a  strict  account  of  all  his  revenue,  and  es- 
tablished a  system  of  regular  visitation  among 
the  needy.  It  was  his  charitable  work  which 
probably  gave  rise  to  the  saying,  "Leo  gave  the 


A  Stem  Waxba  About  (Sunt*.         171 

Church  law,  but  Gregory  gave  it  life  and  love." 
He  encouraged  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures 
among  the  people,  and  urged  both  the  clergy 
and  laity  to  study  them  diligently. 

When  John,  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople, 
claimed  universal  authority  over  the  Church, 
Gregory  was  shocked,  and  denounced  the  assump- 
tion as  "proud,  heretical,  blasphemous,  anti-Chris- 
tian, and  diabolical. "  To  reprove  his  ambitious 
rival  he  himself  assumed  the  title,  "Servant  of 
servants."  To-day  the  Roman  pontiffs  wear 
Gregory's  title  and  claim  John's  authority.  Greg- 
ory gave  much  attention  to  the  improvement  and 
development  of  Church  music.  Besides  writing 
chants  and  hymns,  he  organized  a  singing-school, 
and  presided  over  it  in  person.  In  appreciation 
for  what  he  did  the  Church  calls  him  "The 
Great." 

The  present  pope,  soon  after  his  elevation  to 
the  papal  chair,  issued  an  edict  strongly  recom- 
mending a  return  to  the  use  of  Gregorian  chants 
throughout  the  Catholic  Church.  Gregory's  in- 
fluence in  the  Protestant  Churches  is  felt  in  the 
use  of  such  tunes  as  "Hamburg"  and  "Olmutz." 

But  it  is  Palestrina  of  the  sixteenth  century 
who  bears  the  title  of  "Father  of  Modern  Church 
Music."  He  was  a  composer  of  some  reputation 
and  a  singer  in  the  pontifical  choir.  The  posi- 
tion of  chapelmaster  to  the  pope  was  created  es- 


172  ijgmn  utoafiiirw. 

pecially  for  him.  Later  he  held  the  same  position 
at  St.  Peter's.  In  his  day  much  secular  music 
was  used  by  the  Church.  A  council  called  to 
consider  the  subject  requested  Palestrina  to  write 
a  composition  which  would  illustrate  the  differ- 
ence between  secular  and  sacred  music.  In  re- 
sponse Palestrina  composed  the  "Mass  of  Pope 
Marcellus,"  which  became  famous.  There  is 
still  in  some  hymn-books  a  tune  written  by  him 
and  bearing  his  name. 

The  Church  is  indebted  to  the  master  musi- 
cians for  several  of  her  best  tunes. 

George  Frederick  Handel  was  the  author  of 
"Christmas,"  "Thatcher,"  and  "Antioch."  The 
musical  genius  of  this  composer  developed  early. 
His  father  feared  that  it  would  prevent  him  from 
becoming  a  lawyer,  as  he  himself  desired.  So 
he  forbade  him  to  study  music.  But  young  Han- 
del was  not  to  be  thwarted.  He  practiced  at 
night  on  an  old  clavichord.  A  few  years  later  his 
genius  attracted  the  attention  of  the  nobility,  and 
their  praise  was  so  great  that  he  was  afterwards 
allowed  to  study.  He  made  such  progress  that  be- 
fore he  was  twenty  years  old  he  had  a  reputation 
as  a  musician,  and  before  he  was  twenty-five  as  a 
composer.  In  the  earlier  part  of  his  career  he 
wrote  operas,  but  in  later  years  devoted  himself 
to  the  composition  of  dramatic  oratorios.  His 
masterpiece  is  the  "Messiah."    It  was  written  to 


A  3fom  Warba  About  ExmvB.  173 

celebrate  the  liberation  of  some  debtors  from 
prison.  There  is  a  story  that  he  saw  visions  while 
writing  the  "Hallelujah  Chorus. "  Among  his 
other  oratorios  are  "Israel  in  Egypt/'  "Samson/' 
and  "Judas  Maccabaeus."  There  is  so  much 
power  and  expression  in  these  compositions  that 
scenery  and  acting  are  unnecessary  in  order  to 
produce  the  desired  effect. 

While  he  was  yet  living  Pope  called  him  the 
"Giant  Handel/'  and,  later,  Beethoven  pro- 
nounced him  the  greatest  musician  that  ever 
lived.  All  musicians  recognize  his  genius.  He 
was  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey,  and  a  suitable 
monument  was  erected  to  his  memory  in  the 
"Poets'  Corner/' 

At  least  one  tune,  "Miller,"  has  been  taken 
from  the  works  of  Carl  Philip  Emanuel  Bach. 
This  composer  belonged  to  a  musical  family  of 
which  the  American  Encyclopedia  says :  "In  no 
department  of  science,  art,  or  literature  has  any 
single  family  ever  achieved  such  distinction, 
either  from  the  number  of  its  members  who  have 
devoted  themselves  to  the  same  pursuit,  or  the 
talents,  genius,  or  learning  which  they  have  mani- 
fested in  it,  as  that  of  Bach  in  music.  Fifty  indi- 
viduals at  least  of  this  name,  whose  lives  spread 
over  a  period  of  two  centuries  and  a  quarter, 
would  deservedly  occupy  an  extended  space  in  an 
exclusively  musical  cyclopedia." 


174  $jgmn  (StmBUttB. 

Carl  Philip  Emanuel  belonged  to  the  sixth 
generation,  and  was  the  son  of  one  of  the  most 
illustrious  musicians  of  the  family.  Carl's  forte 
was  songs,  odes,  and  psalms,  yet  the  choruses  of 
his  oratorio,  "Israel  in  the  Wilderness/'  are  so 
great  that  they  place  their  author  next  to  Handel. 

Bach's  music  was  criticised  for  its  irregular- 
ities and  difficulties,  but  it  outlived  criticism  and 
became  the  inspiration  of  Haydn's  genius.  Bach 
expressed  a  great  truth  when  he  said:  "In  my 
opinion  the  grand  object  of  music  is  to  touch  the 
heart,  and  this  end  can  never  be  attained  by  the 
pianist  by  mere  noise,  drumming,  and  arpeggios ; 
at  all  events,  not  by  me."  If  this  is  true  of  music 
in  general,  it  is  especially  true  of  sacred  melo- 
dies. Their  object  should  be  to  carry  the  words 
to  the  heart,  and  that  can  not  be  done  by  careless 
playing  and  singing. 

There  are  few  finer  tunes  in  Church  hymnals 
than  "Creation,"  "Lyons,"  "Austria,"  and  "Ben- 
jamin." These  are  all  taken  from  the  works  of 
Joseph  Haydn.  During  his  boyhood  Haydn  had 
a  beautiful  voice  and  sang  in  a  choir.  This  was 
a  misfortune  rather  than  a  blessing.  His  master 
gave  him  little  instruction  while  he  pocketed 
much  of  the  money  which  had  been  appropriated 
for  his  pupil's  support.  As  a  result  Haydn  was 
obliged  to  sing  for  his  living.  When  he  was  six- 
teen years  old,  because  of  the  loss  of  his  voice, 


A  Stem  WaxbB  Abnui  (Hutu**  175 

and  also  because  of  a  practical  jest  he  had  played 
on  a  fellow  student,  he  was  dismissed  from  his 
master's  service. 

From  that  time  on  he  was  dependent  on  his 
own  efforts.  At  first  it  was  a  bitter  struggle; 
but  happier  days  were  in  store  for  him.  For 
nearly  a  third  of  a  century  he  was  chapelmaster 
to  Prince  Esterhazy.  This  nobleman  was  most 
generous  in  his  dealings  with  Haydn.  He  per- 
mitted him  to  hunt  and  fish  at  will  in  the  royal 
preserves.  Twice,  when  the  composer's  house 
burned,  the  prince  rebuilt  it  at  his  own  expense. 

After  the  death  of  his  patron,  Haydn  spent 
most  of  his  time  in  composing.  He  did  this  work 
in  a  most  reverential  spirit,  frequently  kneeling 
in  prayer  for  guidance.  He  was  in  his  sixty- 
eighth  year  when  he  composed  his  oratorio  "The 
Creation."  The  last  time  he  ever  appeared  in  pub- 
lic he  went  to  hear  it  rendered.  He  was  unable 
to  remain  through  the  performance,  but  as  he 
was  carried  out  he  waved  his  hand  toward  heaven 
and  exclaimed,  "Not  mine,  not  mine;  it  came 
from  above!"  The  tune  "Creation"  is  the  same 
melody  as  "The  Heavens  are  Telling"  in  the 
oratorio. 

Mozart,  Beethoven,  and  Mendelssohn  all  con- 
tributed melodies.  Their  lives  are  alike  in  so 
many  particulars  that  individual  accounts  would 
be  monotonous,     Each  showed  remarkable  mu- 


176  Sjgmn  SteaHurefi. 

sical  ability  when  little  more  than  an  infant,  and 
each  won  triumphs  while  yet  in  boyhood. 

Of  Mozart  it  is  said  that  he  composed  simple 
but  correct  harmonies  when  only  four  years  old. 
He  was  a  most  diligent  student  all  his  life.  When 
a  friend  praised  one  of  his  works  he  replied: 
"People  err  if  they  think  my  art  has  cost  me  no 
trouble.  I  assure  you,  my  dear  friend,  no  one  has 
taken  such  pains  with  the  study  of  composition 
as  I.  There  is  hardly  a  celebrated  master  in 
music  whom  I  have  not  carefully,  and  in  many 
cases  several  times,  studied  clear  through."  As 
a  result  of  his  labor,  Mozart  left  at  his  death  more 
than  eight  hundred  pieces  for  the  piano,  besides 
many  for  the  voice. 

If  sight  is  necessary  for  a  painter,  hearing 
must  be  for  a  musician.  Yet  Beethoven,  one  of 
the  greatest  of  all  composers,  was  deaf  a  large 
part  of  his  life.  At  first  this  affliction  made  him 
bitter,  but  later  he  became  reconciled  to  it.  Fam- 
ily troubles  arose  to  cloud  his  last  years.  An  un- 
worthy brother  and  an  ungrateful  nephew  caused 
him  much  suffering. 

His  misfortunes,  without  doubt,  prevented  him 
from  producing  as  much  as  he  otherwise  would 
have  done.  But  they  did  not  injure  the  quality  of 
his  work.  Comparing  several  masters,  the  Amer- 
ican Cyclopedia  says :  "Under  Bach,  Haydn,  and 
Mozart  the  sonata  and  symphony  have  all  at- 


A  Stem  Wvtba  About  ©mt*B.  177 

tained  their  complete  development  in  form.  Un- 
der Beethoven  a  new  soul  was  infused  into  them." 
The  former  tried  to  express  their  feelings  in 
music,  Beethoven  tried  to  communicate  his  feel- 
ings by  music.  Some  authorities  place  Beethoven 
at  the  head  of  all  composers  for  the  orchestra. 

The  life  of  Mendelssohn  Bartholdy  was  a 
great  contrast  to  that  of  Beethoven.  "It  was 
comparatively  free  from  struggles,  and  from 
earliest  childhood  he  was  permitted  to  indulge 
his  tastes  without  hindrance."  His  character  cor- 
responded with  his  life.  He  had  a  genial,  kindly 
disposition,  which  made  him  beloved  by  all.  One 
of  his  admirers  paid  him  this  compliment:  "To 
speak  out  in  a  single  word  what  was  the  most 
salient  feature  of  his  character,  he  was  a  Chris- 
tian in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  word." 

His  music  has  not  the  strength  which  other 
masters  have  put  into  their  compositions,  but  it 
is  very  beautiful.  His  most  famous  works  are 
the  oratorios  "St.  Paul"  and  "Elijah."  The  fol- 
lowing story  is  told  of  the  origin  of  the  latter : 

"Listen,"  said  Mendelssohn,  and  he  read  from 
the  Bible :  "  'And,  behold,  the  Lord  passed  by.' 
Would  that  not  be  splendid  for  an  oratorio  ?"  he 
exclaimed.  For  nine  years  he  worked  on  the 
oratorio,  "Elijah,"  and  when  it  was  done  that 
clause  was  part  of  it. 

In  general,  the  tunes  which  have  been  taken 

12 


178  ifgrntt  tSxtUBwet*. 

from  the  masters  are  full  of  character  and  music. 
Take,  for  example,  "Antioeh"  from  Handel, 
"Creation"  from  Haydn,  "Hanover"  from  Mo- 
zart, "Dulcetta"  from  Beethoven,  and  "Herald 
Angels"  from  Mendelssohn ;  notice  their  variety, 
both  in  time  and  tone.  They  are  not  plain  songs, 
but  rather  strains  of  victory.  To  this  list  might 
be  added  other  tunes,  such  as  "Samson," 
"Thatcher,"  "Benjamin,"  and  "Janes." 

"Portuguese  Hymn"  was  named  for  the  na- 
tionality of  its  author,  Marcus  Antonio  Portu- 
gallo.  In  1803,  when  the  French  invaded  Por- 
tugal, the  composer  fled  with  the  royal  family  to 
Brazil.  There  he  became  the  musical  director  of 
Rio  Janiero.  This  tune  was  part  of  a  midnight 
mass.  A  Christmas  carol  was  set  to  the  music, 
and  it  was  sung  by  the  priests  and  nuns  on  their 
way  to  the  church  Christmas  morning.  Protes- 
tants recognized  the  beauty  and  dignity  of  the 
tune,  and  to-day  the  Church  universal  is  singing 
it. 

It  would  be  hard  to  find  a  tune  more  sooth- 
ing and  restful  than  "Mercy."  It  is  a  part  of 
"The  Last  Hope."  That  piece  was  improvised 
one  evening  by  Louis  Gottschalk,  in  order  to 
sooth  and  quiet  an  invalid  lady  who  was  anxious 
about  her  son.  A  lullaby  could  hardly  have  done 
the  work  better. 


A  3tero  WavhB  About  uJunwu  179 

Several  of  the  tunes  are  national  airs ;  namely, 
"Russian  Hymn/'  "Austria/'  and  "America." 

Carl  von  Weber  was  educated  both  in  painting 
and  music,  but  chiefly  in  the  latter.  Most  of  his 
time  and  talents  were  devoted  to  writing  operas 
which  were  very  successful. 

After  one  of  his  triumphs  he  wrote  to  his  wife. 
"My  best-beloved :  Through  God's  grace  and  as- 
sistance I  have  this  evening  met  with  the  most 
Complete  success.  The  brilliant  and  affecting  na- 
ture of  the  scene  of  the  triumphs  is  indescribable. 
God  alone  be  thanked  for  it!"  At  that  time  he 
was  in  London,  surrounded  by  the  greatest  musi- 
cians of  the  day.  He  was  suffering  from  con- 
sumption, and  soon  afterward  returned  to  Ger- 
many to  die  at  the  early  age  of  forty.  He  ex- 
pressed his  desire  in  these  words:  "Let  me  go 
unto  my  own,  and  then  God's  will  be  done."  He 
had  a  fine,  sensitive  nature,  and  his  compositions 
are  very  musical.  The  tunes  "Jewett,"  "Wil- 
mot,"  and  "Seymour"  are  all  taken  from  his 
works. 

Very  prominent  among  modern  tune-writers 
was  Dr.  Thomas  Hastings.  He  was  a  poor  boy. 
In  summer  he  worked  hard  on  the  farm,  and  in 
winter  walked  six  miles  to  school  every  day.  His 
first  music-book  was  a  pamphlet  of  four  pages. 
Later  a  treatise  on  music  gave  him  some  ideas, 
and  he  worked  out  all  the  difficult  passages.  Step 


180  ifgtmt  ©roumim 

by  step,  he  worked  his  way  up  to  the  position  of 
editor  of  a  singing-book.  In  1818  he  turned  his 
attention  especially  to  sacred  music,  and  from 
that  time  on  worked  for  its  improvement.  He 
was  an  advocate  and  promoter  of  congregational 
singing  in  public  worship.  In  1822  he  published 
a  book  entitled.  "Musical  Taste."  In  this  work 
he  took  the  position  "that  religion  has  substan- 
tially the  same  claim  on  music  that  it  has  on 
speech."  To  prove  the  truth  of  that  statement 
was  his  life-work. 

His  book  made  such  an  impression  that 
twelve  Churches  united  in  inviting  him  to  New 
York  City.  At  first  he  hesitated,  but  afterward 
consented  to  go.  For  forty  years  he  ruled  the 
sacred  music  used  by  the  whole  jcountry.  To 
him  Church  music  was  a  sacred  duty,  a  "holy 
calling."  Dr.  Hastings  wrote  both  words  and 
music.  Among  his  hymns  are  "Gently,  Lord,  O 
gently  lead  us,"  "Hail  to  the  brightness  of  Zion's 
glad  morning,"  and  "Jesus,  while  our  hearts  are 
bleeding."  His  tunes  include  the  triumphant 
"Zion,"  the  sweet  "Ortonville,"  "New  Haven," 
and  "Toplady;"  and  the  tender  "Retreat." 

Modern  hymnals  are  filled  with  tunes  either 
written  or  arranged  by  Lowell  Mason.  His  taste 
for  music  asserted  itself  early.  While  still  in  his 
youth  he  began  to  teach  music  and  conduct 
choirs.  In  this  way  he  gained  a  local  reputation. 


A  Jfaro  Math*  Abnut  QhumL  181 

One  day  a  lady  asked  him  to  compose  a  tune  for 
Bishop  Heber's  missionary  hymn.  He  consented, 
and  in  half  an  hour  called  at  her  home,  and  gave 
her  the  tune  which  has  become  wedded  to  those 
words.  That  was  the  beginning  of  his  career. 
Some  authorities  regard  him  as  the  most  distin-. 
guished  composer  that  America  has  produced. 

He  wrote  tunes  to  suit  all  classes  of  hymns. 
Among  his  stately  melodies  are  "Meribah,"  "Ux- 
bridge,"  "Dort,"  "Zebulon,"  "Admah,"  and  "Mig- 
dol."  Among  his  solemn  and  plaintive  melodies 
are  "Malvern,"  "Hebron,"  "Noel,"  and  "Ing- 
ham." There  are  many  others  which  might  be 
mentioned. 

William  Bradbury  was  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Mason, 
and  a  very  gifted  composer.  Indeed,  he  was  the 
founder  of  modern  Sunday-school  music.  The 
quality  of  his  work  may  be  judged  from  such 
tunes  as  "Aletta,"  "Olive's  Brow,"  "Wood- 
worth,"  and  "Sweet  hour  of  Prayer."  He 
worked  on  a  farm  when  a  boy,  and  would  often 
sing  as  he  followed  the  plow.  He  was  fourteen 
years  old  before  he  ever  saw  an  organ. 

Dr.  Henri  Abraham  Caesar  Malan,  the  friend 
of  Charlotte  Elliott,  wrote  a  few  tunes,  among 
them  "Welton"  and  "Hendon."  But  composing 
was  a  very  small  part  of  his  work.  He  was  a 
preacher  and  reformer  of  considerable  power. 
Switzerland   was   his   native   land;   but  his   in- 


1 82  2jgmtt  uFmuaurwu 

fluence  extended  far  beyond  the  boundaries  of 
that  country.  He  made  tours  through  Holland, 
Germany,  France,  and  Scotland,  preaching  and 
teaching  wherever  he  went.  Like  Wesley,  he 
proclaimed  a  personal  and  spiritual  religion ;  like 
him,  he  met  with  opposition.  The  State  Church 
excluded  him  from  her  pulpits.  This  did  not 
silence  him,  however.  He  gathered  his  followers 
into  his  own  house,  and  taught  them  there.  Later 
they  built  a  small  chapel,  where  Dr.  Malan 
preached  until  his  death  in  1864.  The  funeral 
hymn  beginning  "It  is  not  death  to  die,"  is  his, 
and  reveals  in  some  measure  his  triumphant 
spirit. 

Not  all  the  great  tunes  were  written  by  cele- 
brated musicians.  "Coronation"  was  written  by 
Oliver  Holden,  a  New  England  carpenter. 

It  will  be  noted  that,  as  a  rule,  the  tunes  have 
been  written  by  devout  men,  and  have  always 
been  used  for  religious  purposes.  Some  melo- 
dies, however,  have  been  taken  from  secular 
compositions  of  a  high  order.  When  appropriate 
music  is  united  to  sacred  words,  they  form  what 
Frantz  [called  "a  fusion  of  poetry  and  music 
which  can  hardly  be  brought  to  a  higher  point  of 
intimacy." 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  hymns  and  tunes 
which  have  established  themselves  in  the  affec- 
tions of  the  Church.    To  tell  of  them  all  would 


A  Ifim  Wavfa  Abmtt  $kmz.  183 

occupy  volumes.  With  such  a  wealth  of  inspiring 
and  ennobling  lyrics,  why  should  we  use  that 
which  is  inferior  ?  Christ  claims  our  best  service 
and  merits  our  noblest  praise.  Anything  less 
would  be  unworthy.  Then  let  us  accept  Robert 
West's  invitation  in  his  hymn : 

"Come,  let  us  tune  our  loftiest  song, 

And  raise  to  Christ  our  joyful  strain; 
Worship  and  thanks  to  Him  belong, 
Who  reigns,  and  shall  forever  reign.* 


^ 


